A Beautiful Community

Yesterday we had an accident occur at our church that meets in a movie theatre. A young boy was just being a young boy if you will and had an accident that caused a fairly large gash in his leg which required numerous stiches and some stables to close the wound. Needless to say it was a pretty scary moment for all of us. But the best part of all is how I've watched our community respond in love and support for the family

So I want to say THANK YOU to all of Overflow for responding the way you all did!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for being the covenant community that we are called to be and this is truly a gift from God. A lot of times we don't think about our salvation in terms of community, however, I think that it's a vital part of how and why God extends His mercies and gace to us. Community helps us to grow-up in our faith and our love for one another, conforming into the likeness of Jesus everyday as we surrender/submit our lives to God AND to one another. This is how we are to be a "light" to the world as we show others "the new day and new way" thats found through Christ alone. So I want to say thanks to all again from my heart for showing what it means to be part of the family of God as we live in this beautiful community together.

Grace and Peace to all.

Broken Windows...

ok...so I thought I would share some insight from this book I'm reading called the tipping point by Malcolm Gladwell. I'm in a chapter right now called the Power of Context. In this chapter the author gives the account of the crime wave of NY City in the 80's and how in the 90's something dramatic happened to turn this thing on its head "tipping point".

There is this thing called the Broken Window theory, basically its that if a window is broken and not repaired then that sends a signal to everyone out there that no one cares and no one is in charge which leads to more broken windows and eventually more and more crime, deeper and deeper...Gladwell says that in a lot of ways this is how crime becomes an epidemic, its almost like a fashion trend that catches on, its contagious, mixed with the right context. So the story continues on "how" the city officials began to "tip" the city back in the right direction. He tells the story about fixing the subways of all the graffiti, even though people thought that this was the "least" of the problems, they started there with the small things and sent the message to all the criminals, they also did this with the farebeaters as well, not paying for the subway and jumping gates. Little by little they were sending a message.

here is a quote from the chapter...

"When crime began to fall in the city - as quickly and dramatically as it had in the subways - Brattion and Guiliani point to the same cause. Minor, seemingly insignificant quality-of-life crimes, they said, were the Tipping Points for violent crime. Broken Windows theory and the Power of Context are one and the same. They are both based on the premise that an epidemic can be reversed, can be tipped, by tinkering with the smallest details of the immediate environment."

So, what does this look like on our blocks and neighborhoods? I guess the old proverb "a little can go a long way" is true. What can we be intential about in the small things that will be contagious and help to bring the tipping point to BH as we live our day to day lives....just something to think about.

Let the Tidal Wave of Serving Begin!!!

This week kicks off our Tidal Wave of Serving here in the Benton Harbor, St. Joe region. Here's a sneek peek at what's been going on... (Click on Tidal Wave). More to come over the summer, stay tuned.

The Tide's Coming In

A few months back I listened to a sermon on revival, it was probably one of the best sermons I have ever heard on the subject. I think primarily because the sermon focused on the sovereignty of God and not human efforts in trying to attain God's goodness, mercy and grace. This sermon so impacted me that I made numerous copies and distributed them to all the people in my circle that I thought would enjoy it, engaged it and learn from it.
As of late, I have found the tide coming in, in my own life. God has been taking me deeper and deeper into the river of life with him and teaching me things in the quite still places of my soul. I have found that in and through my times of study and in my preaching of the word there has been more of him all over it! And it's been totally rocking my world. I'm preaching with a conviction like never before and letting it all be out there, there's been such a freedom that I have never experienced before and a trust that God is releasing the power of his word and it's like a tide rising up and overwhelming people.
My prayer is that I just continue to hunger and thirst for more of him and his righteousness and that God graces me with his presence, while keeping a humble heart to be used by him in mighty ways. I pray that the fruit of my life brings complete and total glory and honor to him who is worthy to be praised forever and ever! Amen.

Perfect Timing

God's timing is always right on point. Have you ever wondered, "what if?" Like what if I didn't listen to what I knew God was leading me to do, or what if I never said the words I knew I was to say to someone. Im sure we have all experienced some form of the "what ifs's" throughout our lives, some of us more than others I'm sure.

Today I experienced one of those perfect moments. I knew all day today that God was leading me to something that I really wasn't wanting to do, but knew that I needed to do it (you know what I mean?), and so I must confess, I pulled a Gideon on God and through out the fleece today and sure enough, confimation again. Now, I know that and beleive that the "fleece" story is not one to take on all the time, but sometimes my mind just works that way, not sure how theologically correct that is, but I do know that God speaks to me in those ways from time to time.

So as I walked in obeidence today and with God's help was very thankful and happy to do it, God showed up in ways that I'm not sure would have happened otherwise and so it makes me ask myself the question, "what if?" What if I would have chosen not to listen and obey my heavenly father as he was leading me, then what? Would the blessing still have come? Would another have been ministered to in ways only God can do? I would have to logically conclude that things would have turned out another way, better or worse? I'm not sure.

I believe with all my heart in the soveriegnty of God and that all things that He wills to happen, will happen, one way or another, but the question is are we going to be part of it. God is at work all around us and as he leads us and asks us and requires of us things for his goodness and purpose, his kingdom here on earth, are we going to be obedient to him? Or are we going to miss the blessings he has for us and for those around us who are in need of him.