Rock Gardens

Sometimes its the small things in life that just makes you smile. Like the ability to (DVR) fast forward the very happy girl on TV, that wants to peddle, a over priced rug, for my home.

Sometimes its the bigger things in life. This past weekend I had a chance to get back into the woods on my Mountain Bike, and was daydreaming about being introduced to my first grandchild next year...that just makes me grin really hard. I had some Josh Ridings pipping through my iPod and was being brought to Worship my creator as I was listing to "I Cry Out" by Josh. Thanks Josh!!

It was a much slower ride than normal. The trail bed was covered with leaves, and I found my self doubting where the trail was even though I have ridden it many times. I was trusting my eyes much more than my heart. There is a Bible Study lesson in that, my LifeGroup Leaders :)

During my time of worship on this ride, I stopped at what is known as the Rock Garden for a time prayer. It is a place where many Mt. bikers have meet the earth unexpectedly. After reading Joshua 4, I had a man moment, I thought that I would pick up a rock as did one of the 12 in the scripture. It was pretty heavy, and I began to look for a lighter rock. My man moment was short lived. LifeGroup Leaders ...Bible Study #2 opportunity

Do we really worship? Do we look for the light load? Do we really delight in our GOD?

Gather, Grow, & Go
Pastor Tim

Pornography

When a person is under control of a addiction, that person comes under the lie of Satan, that the grip can be removed by strength or will power. In the topic of pornography (a addictive behavior) that is simply not true. The issue of pornography is destroying families and churches, and its time, we men specifically, come to a point that we understand that it is not a issue of control but an issue of the heart.

As a Christ follower, if our body and to be more specific our eyes belong to God, then we don't have the right to use them in a way that does not bring Him glory. Mark Driscoll has just released a booklet called Porn-Again Christian. If you are a person that has this giant in your life I would recommend that maybe you hear what Driscoll has to say on the topic. Is it on the edge or uncomfortable? I'm sure some would say so, but it time to get real with this issue. The following is a little insight to the booklet:

"In 125 AD, Athenian philosopher Christian Aristides reported on the sexual practices of the Christian church to his king. He said, They (Christians) do not commit adultery or immorality...their wives, O king are as pure as virgins, and their daughters are modest. Their men abstain from all unlawful sexual contact and from impurity, in hopes of recompense that is to come in another world."

Now in our sick day we pray the local newspapers would give the same report about God's men and their wives and daughters under their loving leadership. Why? Because what you do with your eyes and your penis is not simply your business. If you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ then there is urgent kingdom and gospel business for you to be about and neither time or money for you to waste while standing on the sidelines".

Men, it time to get serious about our walk.

Gather, Grow, & Go
Pastor Tim

Nominal Christianity

Many Atheist state, that the Church is responsible for so much injustice. This statement is made by people who take a intellectual stand against a background of personal disappointment with Christians and churches.

In Tim Keller's new book "Reason's for God" a question is asked: If Christianity is the truth, why are so many non-Christians living better lives than the Christians?

The answer? Nominal Christianity

I believe that the issue is "Nominal Christianity" which means a person is Christian in name only, who does not practice it and perhaps barely believes it. What brings a Christian to this state? They have never experienced a authentic love relationship with Christ and with other Christ Followers. Someone who is connected with Christ that seeks to please Him and allow Him to take control, will find themselves longing to share that intense experience with other Christians.

Preaching will never be enough.

For the person that claims Christianity, preaching alone will not provide sustaining power or growth. In a big group atmosphere, a person can slide in when the preaching starts, become convicted maybe even cry, then slide back out without anyone saying to them"how can I help or pray for you"? That will never happen in a smaller community of believers such as a lifegroup.

I am of the opinion that LifeSong Church will only continue to grow numerically, if we grow spiritually. There enough churches that give value to the atheistic statement about Christianity, and the only way to turn that tide is to be authentic with the King of Kings, and seek to have authentic relationships with other people that have the same goal of worshiping the King.

Gather, Grow, & Go

Pastor Tim

LifeGroups

As we approach August, I hope that you are anticipating the start of the new year of LifeGroups. If you have never been a part of one, I want to share with you that it has changed my life, and impacted my walk with Christ in major ways. There is no way to quantify the amount love and support that comes from other lifegroup members.

I often wonder how those who claim Christ as Lord in their lives and never develop a transparent and godly relationship with other believers, move toward the goal of running a good race.

LifeGroups is where I have gained Spiritual muscle. The bible studies are meant to challenge us in our walk as Christ followers. I ask that you prayerfully consider your involvement in LifeGroups in our next sign-ups. You may consider being in a group and or offering your home to host a group.

August 23rd we will have online sign-ups posted on the LifeSong website. There you will be able to see who is leading groups, the location of the group meeting, as well as what will be studied. The 1st week of LifeGroups will begin September 13th.

Leader training for new leaders start this week. Keep those leaders as well as the returning leaders in your prayers as we enter this time of preparation.

Gather, Grow, & Go
Pastor Tim

The Pursuit of Man

A.W. Tozer wrote: "We should pick what we read the same way that we pick our friends". Why is that so important? Well, we are influenced by what we read and who we hang out with.

For those of you that don't read much, I suggest that you start and be selective in what you consume. If we are not careful we can develop a manufactured religion with man made doctrine wrapped up in the coat of Christianity.

I have just finished reading "The Pursuit of Man" by Tozer. I would like to share just a small portion:

The subject of a spirit filled life:
Are you sure that you want to be filled with the spirit who, through he is like Jesus in His gentleness and love, will never the less demand to be Lord of your life? Are you willing to let your personality to be taken over by another, even if that other be the Holy Spirit of God Himself? If the spirit takes charge of your life He will expect unquestioning obedience in everything. He will not tolerate you in the self-sins even though they are permitted and excused by most Christians.

By the self-sins I mean self-love, self-pity, self seeking, self-confidence, and self-righteousness. You will find the spirit to be in sharp opposition to the easy ways of the world and of the mixed multitude within the precincts of religion.

He will be jealous over you for good. He will take the direction of your life away from you. He will reserve the right to test you, to discipline you, to chasten you for your souls sake. He may strip you of those borderline pleasures which other Christians enjoy, but which are to you a source of refined evil.

Be Blessed this week!

Gather, Grow, and Go
Pastor Tim

Mess

When was the last time you have gotten yourself in a complete mess? How easy is it to get into those messes in our lives? If you have walked some of the trails that I have been on, you realize that you just didn't wake up one morning and say "wow, decisions, money, and/or relationships in my life are a total mess.

Messes have a way of sneaking into our lives. For the person that does not follow Christ, that could be a natural state to live in. For the Christ follower, we seem to spend more time covering our messes (sin) like a cat instead of coming clean to God with what He already knows. Our sin does need to be covered, because it is ugly, stinks, and creates damage in our lives. The only thing that can cover our messes is the blood of Christ.

This Sunday we continue in our series "Identity", as we focus on MESS. Psalms 32 will be our focal chapter. Hope to see you Sunday.

Psalm 32:5 NKJV
"I acknowledge my sin to You, and my inquity I have not hidden. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and You forgave the iniquity of my sin".

Gather, Grow, & Go
Pastor Tim

Matt & Britt

Today is very special. My son and daughter In-Love are celebrating their 2nd anniversary. Its been an amazing thing for Lynn and I to have had the opportunity to share life with this couple that we get to call our own. I am so very proud of them, not only for the goals that they have met, or to see them both impact their world, but to witness them seek God above all else, and to seek to please HIM. Matt, continue to do battle on your knees and with your voice. Britt thank you for your love, and the heart for the broken.





Proverbs 31 (The Message)


"A good woman is hard to find and worth more than diamonds"

What do you Measure?

I’m preparing for a mountain bike race in May. I have competed in this race in 2005 and 2006. The results of those races are not worth bragging about. 2005 I completed the race in 1 hour and 4 minutes. 2006 my race time was, I hour 5 minutes and 35 seconds. That’s right, it got worse. So what’s the goal? Compete in as many races as possible, or to improve on my previous race times? My goal is to break 60 minutes.

This week I had an opportunity to go to a Chaplaincy luncheon/workshop, at the Sheriff’s Department. The workshop was great. Most of the Chaplains there were also pastors of churches in S.C.

Lunch time was pockets of clamor about how much money these churches give to different Baptist organizations, how many people were in their congregations and so on. I think you get the picture. Then I was asked about LifeSong. As I began to share the vision and passion of being missionaries were we live work and play, the clamor almost stopped and I thought for a moment that I had said something wrong.

I shared many of your stories of how God has changed your lives. I shared how going through the Purple Book together as a church has caused many of you to get excited about reading God’s word. I shared about our time and money that is invested in the community and that most of you are sharing life together through Lifegroups. That’s one Pastor spoke up and asked, “are other congregations talking about you?”

Hybels says, that when you get serious about your walk with God, and that impacts the church, and the church begins to impact the community, that the biggest critics will be other believers, other congregations. Example: Jeff Hickman is crazy about Jesus, and is passionate about reaching the Precious. That sometimes can cause a stir.
LifeSong Partnership is approaching 200 and we are seeing about 300 each week in worship. I don’t give much concern if we have 200 or 2000, but that YOU experience God in a way that you have a career change. Full Time Foot Washer.

So if you ever have the urge to “brag” about LifeSong Church… don’t. Let’s share the love of Jesus Christ and His amazing Love, Forgiveness, and Grace. I don’t want a cup cake to get in the way of improving my mountain bike race time… don’t allow measuring the wrong thing to cause you to lose focus of what God is doing in you and LifeSong Church.

Gather, Grow & Go
Pastor Tim

Wisdom

It’s so simple to be wise. Just think of something stupid to say and don’t say it.

Here are some more favorite quotes about wisdom:
Sometimes I lie awake at night, and ask, “where did I go wrong”. Then a voice says to me “this is going to take more than one night.
Charlie Brown

I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.
Abraham Lincoln

The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are.
C.S. Lewis

James Chapter one urges us Christ followers to ask for wisdom:
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

I have made plenty decisions in my life without wisdom. The thing that bugs me the most about those times is that wisdom was available to me, but I had no patience, my faith was weak, and I was too consumed with doing things my way.

I encourage you to ask for what you may be lacking… Wisdom

Gather, Grow, & Go
Pastor Tim

Celebrating the Wins

In the past month I have had the opportunity to personally share the gospel with 6 people, 3 of which accepted the redeemer and the promise of eternal life in heaven. There are some similar responses that you get from people when you ask the question “What do you understand it takes for a person to get to heaven?”. Most respond with a list of the good, sacrificial, unselfish, things that they done throughout their lives and they are being very truthful when they describe those things. I often hear next, “I hope that I have done enough”.

Why does a person think that they have to do all of those things in order to “be in good favor” with God? Is it because they have seen Christians doing so much? I’m not sure, but a common statement I hear when someone receives Christ is, “I didn’t know that it was that simple”, or “I really thought that I had to get my life straightened out first”. The bible says that “today is the day of Salvation”.

To my brothers and sisters I would implore you to have a different mindset when it comes to sharing your story, and the gospel directions to eternal life.

First, when you are doing something good for someone (loving them) and you are asked “why did you do that”, reflect Christ by saying “God loves you and so do I”. You just may have the best opportunity ever to share with that person the saving grace of Christ.

Second, be clear. If someone is coming to see me, I don’t tell them “just come to Spartanburg you will find me”. I tell the detail turns, street names, house number and the color of my front door just for good measure. When we tell people to “Love Jesus” or “Get Saved”, what specifically does that mean? Tell your story, then share what the bible says in Romans 3:23, Ephesians 1:7, John 3:16, and Romans 10:9.

Third, go and tell. Don’t say come and see, meaning don’t feel like that you have to get that person through the doors of the church so that the preacher share the truth of Christ. You are the church wherever you are at.

This Sunday we will be celebrating the wins. Can’t wait to hear and see the encounters of God. Be there or be square.

Gather, Grow, and Go
Pastor Tim