Community

Yesterday I was able to spend 2 hours talking with a friend at the coffeehouse (Jersey Java) I call my “office.” It was cool just sitting and talking over cappuccinos. I wanted to touch base with him and see how he and his new wife are doing. They’ve been married for less than a year so I wanted to see how they are surviving. I remember the first 3 years were tough for Teresa and me getting used to each other. I think it’s tougher getting used to married life for us who marry later; I was 26 and Teresa was 30 when we married and my friend and his wife were in their late 20’s when they were married. It’s worth the struggle of the first few years because it bonds you to each other.

Through our time together, I shared more on my vision for Connection Point Church. I wanted just to listen to him but when I get started talking about the church plant, I get excited and can’t stop talking. The cool thing about our time together is that we will get a free logo designed for us. My friend’s background is web design so he will design a logo for Connection Point. That’s awesome for him to do that.

When listening I was able to learn new things about my friend that was exciting. He and his wife are praying about joining our plant either for critical mass or to stay. It is encouraging for people to buy in the vision I feel God has given me. I was able to learn what his passion is and was to encourage him to go after it.

All in all, the time we talked was great. We will do it again really soon.

The What The . . . Moment

I had lunch with a co-worker today, and we were talking about things and she told me that she and her husband will adopt a child. I love it when people adopt because it shows the picture of our relation as Christians to God the Father. I was even more excited when she shared that they want to go through the international adoption; either a child from Korea or Ethiopia. She shared with me that her parents are excited for them; however, her husband’s parent are not so excited especially if they get an Ethiopian child. I was shocked mainly because they and their parents are from the New York City area. This is the main hub of emigration and the melting pot of the U.S.
The whole idea of having a grandchild that is black doesn’t sit well with them because they are worried on how they will come across to their friends. My first though was “forget them” and then my heart broke. In this day and age there are still small minded people. I encouraged her the best I could with the idea of international adoption. This lady has a big heart and I can see her be a good mother. It sadness me to think that her in-laws are small minded.
The whole idea of being a mixed society has been on my heart for years now especially when it comes to our churches. Our churches should be diverse with the different people groups who live within the radius of any church. Race should never come into play when we are called to be one in Christ Jesus. My focus with Connection Point Church is to have a church reflecting our ministry area which is 73% white, 22% black, and the rest made up of Asian and Latin peoples.
Small minded people really make my blood spoil. I pray that one day a diverse church will be the norm and not the exception.

Having Fun

I really enjoy getting out and running around. I never out grew that idea of going outside and playing. After our Discovery Group study on Saturday, Teresa and I spent the day with our friend Gil.
We spend 2 hours hiking 5 miles around a beautiful lake enjoying nature and good conversation. Gil and Teresa used their cell phones to take pictures. Gil and I became monkeys when we saw a tree leaning on another tree. We both climbed up and hang for a while (that was fun). We both channeled our inner-child. Once we finished with our hike, we were very hungry so we drove to the Red Start Tavern. Gil has eaten there before but it was Teresa and my first time. The place has some great food. When we got there, the weather was awesome (as it was when we were hiking) so we ate outside. The weather changed while we ate; it got cold fast so by the time we finished eating, we were cold.

The place where the Red Star Tavern is located has a very good coffeehouse nearby. We walked over and spent 2 hours drinking coffee and talking some more. I watched Gil and Teresa do a crossword puzzle. The place played some good music (Amy Winehouse, Bob Dylan, and some jazz).
Saturday was a nice change a pace. It was a chance to build on the relationship we have with Gil. My friendship has grown the last year with him and I enjoy talking with him. He has been a great partner with getting us connected with a free location for the Discovery Group. He has grown a great deal over the last year. I can’t want to see how God used him in the coming years.

Something to Think About

I'm studying for this Saturday's Discovery Group and came across this really cool illustration that tore my heart in half. It makes me think about my witness at work. Take a moment and read.

On the morning of September 11, Jeannie Braca switched on the television to check the weather report, only to hear that a plane had just hit the World Trade Center.Jeannie’s husband, Al, worked as a corporate bond trader for Cantor Fitzgerald. His office was on the 105th floor of Tower One.Al had survived the World Trade Center bombing in 1993 and had even helped a woman with asthma escape from the building.Jeannie knew that Al would do the same thing this time, “I knew he would stop to help and minister to people,” she said, “but I never thought for a minute that he wouldn’t be coming home!”A week later, like so many others who were in that building, Al’s body was found in the rubble. Al’s wife, Jeannie, and his son Christopher were devastated!Then the reports began to trickle in from friends and acquaintances. Some people on the 105th floor had made a last call or sent a final e-mail to loved ones saying that a man was leading people in prayer.A few referred to Al by name.Al’s family learned that Al had indeed been ministering to people during the attack! When Al realized that they were all trapped in the building and would not be able to escape, Al shared the gospel with a group of 50 co-workers and led them in prayer.This news came as no surprise to Al’s wife, Jeannie.For years, she and Al had been praying for the salvation of these men and women. According to Jeannie, Al hated his job and couldn’t stand the environment. It was a world so out of touch with his Christian values, but he wouldn’t quit.Al was convinced that God wanted him to stay there, to be a light in the darkness, and although Al would not have put it this way, to be a hero!Al was not ashamed of Christ and Christ’s words…and he paid the price of taking up his cross daily. Al shared his faith with his co-workers….many of whom sarcastically nicknamed him “The Rev.”And on that fateful day…on September 11, in the midst of the chaos, Al’s co-workers looked to him—-and Al delivered!At the same time, Al too tried to get a phone call through to his family. He asked an MCI operator to contact his family.“Tell them that I love them,” he said.It took the operator more than a month to reach the Bracas, but the message brought them much-needed comfort.“The last thing my dad did involved the two things most important to him—God and his family,” his son Christopher told a writer for Focus on The Family. “He loved to lead people to Christ. That takes away a lot of the hurt and the pain.”

Networking

Yesterday, I had the honor to represent NAMB (North American Mission Board) and the SBCV (Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia) at a Newport News church. I wanted connect with the members so I arrived at 8:35 am for their 8:45 Fellowship breakfast. I was able to talk with several members. One older lady (I’m guessing her age was in the 80’s) talked about her daughter and how she grew up in Smithfield, VA. Smithfield is the neighboring town to Carrollton. In fact her daughter lives in Carrollton. The daughter is unable to attend church because she works on Sunday so I gave her my business card and informed her that the Discovery Group meets on Saturday mornings. The older lady’s eyes showed excitement with the idea that her child could attend church. She told me that she will give Mary (her daughter) the information. Lord willing Mary will contact me.

The Set Up

If you enjoy playing volleyball, you will know the term setting up. In volleyball you are allowed 3 hits (with the third hit the ball goes over the net). Usually the second hit is a set up for a spike. A spike is when a player rams the ball down the throats of the front line of the other team.

Yesterday, I met with Mark Custalow (the local SBCV CP Strategist) and we talked about how the Carrollton group is going. We talked about support and how he thinks I should continue to work at Dollar Tree Stores, Inc. and be bi-vocational. I have always known that I’d work with DTS for at least 2 years after the church is launched so this is no big deal. You see my job allows me a lot of freedom to do church work. I get good pay and extra time to organize outreach, study for Bible lessons, etc.

God had “Set Up” this 8 years ago when I stepped down as a paid staff member of a local church. I’ve worked for DTS since then. There were times where I hated this job, but God had taught me a lot in the area of marketing, organization, and how to deal with people. My job at DTS is the “Set Up” and the spike will be when Connection Point Church is launched and reaching the community of Carrollton with the gospel of Christ.

Father, great set up!

Knowing One Another

Last night, Teresa was getting her gym bag ready for today. I already had my bag packed and ready to go (We go to the gym in the mornings before going to work so we get everything ready the night before. I don’t function very well in the morning so I have to pack the night before). She was looking for something; she was trying to describe it to me. As she was talking, I remembered where she put it last. I told her where I saw it; it was downstairs on the loveseat armrest. The way she looked at me I knew she wanted me to go get it for her. I told her that I’d go get it before she asked me. I told her that I knew she wanted me to go get it because I know her looks. She smiled and said, “You think you know me. Don’t you?” She said it with a smile and a gleam in her eye (I love the gleam she has in her eyes).

I’m so thankful to God for sending Teresa to me. She knows me better than anyone has (except for God). I love the fact that we know what each other is thinking before we have to say it. We’ve been married for 11 years; come July 20 it will be 12 years. Teresa is awesome.

Sting Free

The past week and half, there were 2 deaths in Teresa’s (my wife) family. The great thing about these events is that we found out that both people knew Christ as their Savior. Because of what Christ did on the cross, death has nothing on us. Since we have Christ, no Christian should ever fear death.

As I encouraged the family, God brought to mind 1 Corthinthians 15: 54 – 57:

"But when this perishable will put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, 'Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

We are still morning these losses. Uncle Larry left behind a loving wife and 2 little children, and Mary Ann (sister-in-law) left behind a loving husband and 4 sons. Even though the family had to say good bye last week to our loved ones, we have the hope of seeing them again. The hope is found in what Jesus Christ did on the cross 2,000 years ago. Teresa and I will see these loved ones again one day.

Do you know for sure where you will end up if you breathed your last breath? You aren’t promised your next heart beat. Life is a death sentence. No one gets out alive. Think about it.