Spiritual Legacy


This year has flown by so fast; it’s hard to believe that Ripley (my little ray of sunshine) will celebrate her first birthday next week. Since Teresa and I are older, we’ve had friends and family members alike ask us when or if we plan on having another child. To be honest, we are thinking/praying about it. This past summer, my uncle talked with me about the importance of having a son. I took his talk as a joke at first but he was serious. My uncle is number 11 of 12 children my grandparents have and only few of the grandsons have sons and he is concerned with the legacy of the Thomasson name. This has left me a question in my own mind in what should the legacy be for the people of God?

I see my legacy on earth not in Ripley or any son I may or may not have. I see the legacy I leave are the ones God has put in my path to show them Christ. I’ve been reading through the letters of Paul and I read the words like a father would write to a child. The people he wrote to were children of God and not his but God used Paul to plant His Word which produced spiritual fruit.

We (Christians) are all off-spring of God’s love and of the sacrifice Jesus Christ paid for us on the cross. We are all spiritual fruit that someone planted God’s Word and either the same person or another reaped the harvest of the spiritual seed. Reading Billy Graham’s life story, I know he was a spiritual product of a man who was a spiritual product of Billy Sunday (a famous evangelist of the late 1800’s/early 1900’s). Billy Sunday was lead to Christ by a shoes salesman who taught his Sunday School. If we are able to trace back who won who to Christ, it still all leads back to what Christ did on the cross.

As I pray for the salvation of my almost one year old daughter, I think about the legacy of God and his perfect work. I know that He will draw her to Himself in His time. My job is to show her what He did for her; by planting the spiritual seed of God’s Word in her heart. Lord willing it will either be me, Teresa, or someone else who will reap the harvest of her accepting Christ in her heart; the legacy is still the same-a legacy of God’s love for His created children.

The Spiritual Legacy of any child of God is not his/her legacy to leave but his/her to show. The Spiritual Legacy is Jesus Christ and the sacrifice He paid on the cross for our sins.

A Reminder



I’ve served my God and Savior for over 20 years. I’ve lead his people as an Elder/Pastor for 5 years. In my personal Bible reading today, God sent a reminder of the calling he gave me so many years ago. This passage can feed all Christ-followers but if you are an Elder, Pastor, or Bishop (all the same in the Greek), I’m thinking this will feed your soul.

1 Peter 5: 1-11

1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
“ God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Using What You Have to Reach the Lost
While reading through the SBCV Church Plant Application, I read what I wrote about the need for church planting. I still feel the same way.

“I first sensed the need for church planting in college. Since the college I attended is the flag college of the Baptist Bible Fellowship, we had from time to time BBF state representatives come and share the need for churches in their particular state. Over the years, I’ve seen churches not reach the lost around them using the standard approaches. The mindset of the world is changing, and churches need to change the method of reaching the lost. We don’t change the message, but the way it is given.

My sense of calling to church planting is more a desire to be used by God to reach the world using new and different ways. Jesus used what was the norm in the age in which He was on Earth. He used story telling to tell the truth. He used objects that the people had and knew of to illustrate His points. Some churches are using methods to reach the world around them that hasn’t worked in 20 years. My sense of calling to church planting is to think outside the box, to make the world see that their need of a Loving God is real. I want God to use me to help them see that it’s not about having a steeple on the roof, wearing a suit or dress, or knowing hymns, but it’s about a real relationship with the God of the universe. It’s about peace and completeness in Him.

Having lived most of my life in Virginia, and attending and working in a multi-cultural church, I sense a call to not start a multi-cultural church but a New Testament church. The difference to me is that in the New Testament, everyone was welcomed into the body of Christ with no limitations (except no women could be pastors). To have a New Testament church, people will need to feel welcomed regardless of their race, economic background, if tattooed or clear of tattoos, with or without body piercings, etc.

My call is to plant a New Testament church wherever God directs. Teresa and I are willing to go wherever He desires to do His will. He has saved us, so we trust Him to provided for what we will need (discernment, direction, wisdom, power, house, money, etc.) because we are His children and we feel that He has set us apart to reach the people He has us to reach. All for His glory.”

Testimony

I was reading through the SBCV Church Plant Application today and read what I wrote about my testimony. This was written in 2006 when Teresa and I were praying about starting a church. My testimony is not earth shaking but it’s not about me but about the love of God and Him taking a little boy and making him into the man I am today. Thank you God for drawing me to Yourself at the age of 7. May I use all the days of my life to bring you glory!

“• My life before knowing Christ

My life before Christ drew me to Himself was a simple one. I was born on January 11, 1970 to a family who are Christians and active church members. I went to church whenever dad and mom went (every Sunday morning, evening, and Wednesday night). I was an average child who had a nice childhood.

• How I came to understand my need for Christ
One spring Sunday evening in 1977 (at the age of 7), Alexander Baptist Church had a Christian magician come and do a show for the children. While he performed his tricks, he spoke about the love of God and the gift He gave in His Son, Jesus Christ. Using his illusions, he illustrated the salvation story. I came to understand that I am a sinner and needed Jesus’ gift.

• How I received Christ as my Savior
The following Sunday morning, I walked to the front when the invitation was given. An older gentleman took me aside and talked with me about salvation. He used the Romans’ verses to show me why I was a sinner, and how I can be saved. I prayed the prayer and believed in my heart. That morning Jesus saved me and entered in my heart. Shortly after, I was baptized.

• My life since knowing Christ
The early days after the salvation experience, I was your average child in a Southern Baptist Church. I attended the “Training Union” classes before the Sunday evening service where I learned the books of the Bible through participating in Sword Drills, and learned to make friends through attending the Royal Ambassadors on Wednesday evenings. My Spiritual growth really started to be deeper; when my parents had us leave Alexander Baptist and join Fellowship Baptist (a BBFI church) in March 1984. From the beginning of the change, I started to learn the importance of reading the Bible and for witnessing. God used Lynn Hardaway, a then 27 year old pastor, to show me what ministry really is all about. Through the sermons, I learned it is our calling to tell others about the good news of the gospel. I started to attend Tuesday night visitation and started to tell my friends about the love of God. Lynn Hardaway allowed a teenager to hang out at church during the summers, so I was able to learn how to minister by doing whatever needed to be done. Through that experience with Lynn and the staff at Fellowship Baptist (Minister of Music, Youth Pastor, and the secretary), I’ve learn that ministry is sweeping the buses, cleaning the bathrooms, cutting the grass, etc. Being on the stage is a small part of what people consider “ministry.” From my salvation experience to now, God has put people and circumstances in my path to mold me into the man I am today. God has used me to mold others into what He wanted them to be. As I grow in Him and in age, I’m learning all of this we see and don’t see is all about Him and not about me. I’m only an empty work glove. He’s the hand that uses me. Without Him, I can’t accomplish anything for Him. In Him, I’m complete. And without Him, I am nothing.”

Angels Unaware


I had a reminder of Hebrews 13:2 (“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it (NASV).”) this past Saturday. Our church had a Bazaar/Yard Sale and an Open House. God blessed us with great October weather and a great turn out. I was able to talk with some people as they shopped and answered any questions they had about our church. I talked with two couples that stick out in my head. One couple I will write more about on my next post because I want to write about another couple with a great testimony.

The couple with the great testimony was everywhere on Saturday. They bought from the yard sale and from the vendors. As the husband was loading the last of their lute in the back of their truck, I talked with the wife. We talked about marriage and how bad times can make a marriage stronger along with the good times. She shared with me the worst time of her marriage took place 20 years ago when they lost their 29 year old daughter to cancer.

This lady shared how there was this great male nurse on duty the last few days of their daughter’s battle. He was so caring and kind to them and he took such great care of their daughter. This lady told me that she was going home to shower and come back so he told her that he would make sure the daughter was comfortable. When she got home, the phone rang and it was the male nurse telling her and her husband to come back because the daughter was entering the final stages of the cancer. When they came back to the hospital their son-in-law met them and told them that their daughter had died.

When this lady talked with the head nurse she wanted to talk with the male nurse to thank him for all the work he did. The head nurse looked puzzled. She informed this lady that there has not been a male nurse on duty on that floor in several years. The lady and her husband were shocked but the head nurse was right according to all paperwork. This lady and her husband are sure that they had an angel taking care of their daughter and loving on them.

Who am I to doubt such a story when we have Hebrews 13:2 to tell us that we could be entertaining angels without knowing we are doing so? It’s something to think about. I’ll write about the other couple later this week.

Doctor, Heal Yourself or Preacher, Feed Yourself


I want to be transparent with my brothers and sisters in Christ (in all I do and say) so I’ve shared this truth (or better said confessed my sin) of not having a constant walk with Christ with the Men’s Small Group and with the Monday Night’s Small Group. I’ve studied to the furthest points in preparing to preach through the gospel of John and in preparing to teach through Hebrews but I have stopped feeding myself God’s Word. One day turned into a week and a week turned in a month and so on. I told myself that I was busy doing God’s work; too busy to eat. The Holy Spirit kept reminding me that Martha was too busy to seat at His feet and learn but Mary made the time to seat at His feet. My make-up is more like Martha than Mary but I need to stop and seat at my Master’s feet and learn of Him.

I can always tell when I’m not walking like I should when my temper isn’t as long as it usually is. The last week, my spirit has been dark to the point I just wanted to do nothing. That is not me at all. I just read two chapters of Revelation and man it was so sweet to my soul. I felt the loving embrace of my Lord welcoming to His feet. My dark mood is replaced with peace. I had forgotten what it feels like to seat and rest in my Master’s arms. Only one word can describe it; AWESOME.

I write this only to encourage you to keep your walk constant. If you have a good walk then great; it’s so easy to allow ministry to keep us from our true calling of knowing our Savior and learning from Him. That can only be done in reading His Words and speaking with Him. With teaching through Hebrews, I’ve been reminded that we can go to our Heavenly Father boldly through his Son anytime we want. The Old Testament people had to go through the priest and the high priest could only enter God’s presence once a year.

May God grant you peace in your daily walk with Him.

My Little Girl



On Wednesday night, I burned 2 CD’s full of Ripley’s photos to give to Teresa’s parents. I put all the photos we have of Ripley; from the ultra-sounds to the ones we took last week. It’s amazing how much she has changed. We just bought Ripley a new rocket ship (what we call her car-seat) because she out grew her first one. I saw a photo from Thanksgivings Day of 2009 where she barely took up half her first car-seat. It blew me away.

I can’t believe in just another 5 ½ weeks, Ripley will be one year old. God has blessed us with such a great little girl. This past year has taught me a lot on relying on God. After being just 5 days olds, we found out that Ripley was born with her lower intestines reversed. It’s called mal-rotation and on her 10th day she was in CHKD and having surgery. God carried Ripley, Teresa, and I through the surgery and recovery. There is no tell-tell sides of this condition other than a 2 inch scare that is barely noticeable. God is good.

Teresa’s aunt gave us the DVD series “So Your Baby Can Read” so Teresa has been watching it with Ripley. If you are not aware of this series, it helps children plan to read. We are in the first DVD which you watch until the child is 14 months old. Ripley is really learning; she is clapping all the time (one of the thing on the DVD) and yesterday she is starting to try to wave. She is very cute doing it. I’m praying that she has Teresa’s ability to learn fast and loves to read. She already has her beauty and now I’m hope she has Teresa’s brains. Poor girl has my energy level so she is always moving like her daddy.

Below are the newest photos of Ripley in action.

Digging Deeper



On Sunday morning, I lead a men’s small group. The last few weeks, we are studying the book of Hebrews. After 4 years of using curriculum, the men wanted to just read through and discuss each chapter. I challenged the men to not just read the book but to ready study it during the week. One of the guys sent me an e-mail with questions relating to his study. Below are his e-mail and my answers to his questions.

Tom,

I was reading Hebrews 6 and 7 this morning, when I came across the cross references which was talking about covenants. So, I went off on a bit of a tangent but, I have some questions for you. I did a little bit of reading on the Abraham, Nomadic, Davidic, Mosaic, and the "new covenant" in Jeremiah 31. Jeremiah 31:31-34 reads:

31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Ok so here come the questions...

Question 1: The covenant is with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Are we included in that? By we, I mean gentiles and 'Christians'?

Answer: Jeremiah is telling Israel that a new covenant will be made and that new covenant is Jesus Christ. The nature of this covenant in general is a new covenant and not according to the covenant made with them when they came out of Egypt; not as if that made with them at Mount Sinai were a covenant of nature and innocence. Sinners in the Old Testament were saved by old covenant upon their repentance, and faith in a Messiah to come, whose blood, confirming that covenant, was typified by that of the legal sacrifices as shown in Ex. 24:7, 8. Jesus Christ is the new covenant; the Promised One who paid the sin debt once for all. We are part of this new covenant because through belief in what Christ did for us we are called God’s children.
Question 2: If we are God's people then don't we have law written on our hearts? And if so, why? Why do we have something written on our hearts that can only condemn us as law can?

Answer: The whole “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts” refers to the indwelling of God (in the form of the Holy Spirit) in the hearts of God’s people and not the law as the Ten Commandments. In this passage, Jeremiah is showing the difference between the old covenant and the new covenant. The new covenant brings with it the grace of regeneration: its doctrine, therefore, is not that of the letter, but penetrates into the heart and reforms all the inward faculties, so that obedience is rendered to the righteousness of God.

Question 3: In v 34 it says 'for they shall all know me...' does that mean that Hebrews (or other folks he is talking about) are saved? Because they know God and he will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more. I mean that sounds a lot like salvation.

Answer: I’m thinking that Hebrews 8:12 is quoting Jeremiah 31:34, so reading this passage (Heb. 8:12) in context will answer this one. The new covenant also promised knowledge of God based on personal experience according to Jeremiah 31:34 and Hebrews 8:12. The knowledge of God based on personal experience was limited under the old covenant because the law restricted access to God. Only the high priest was able to enter the Most Holy Place where God dwelled on Earth. And that entrance was only available to the high priest once a year. The superior high priest, Jesus Christ, has provided access into the very presence of God and He (Jesus) invites us to draw near. The new covenant makes a personal knowledge of God available to us. The final characteristic of the new covenant is that God would no longer remember his people's sins. This does not simply mean that God had a decision to forget some information about the sins committed by his people. Rather it means that God is providing a means by which the sin problem can be taken care of. Atonement, not just for sins but for sin, was made by the better sacrifice offered by Christ.

Showing True Love



Yesterday, I preached on John 13: 31-38 which is Jesus giving his disciples a new commandment to love each other. I pointed our several things regarding this passage of scripture. The most important is that this is not a new commandment but a completed commandment.

God gave Israel the Ten Commandments basically telling them that they could not follow them so a sacrifice was needed to atone for their sins. The commandment “Love your neighbor as yourself” is the original commandment. The command to love one another that Jesus gives his disciples (and us) is not new in the sense that it had never been given before. The Greek word for new that is used here does not refer to an innovation - something never before existing. Rather, it refers to renewal and restoration. The love commandment's newness comes from the fact that the work of the cross and the gift of the Holy Spirit were about to make it possible to really love one another for the first time. The commandment was renewed by the work of Christ. Because of what Christ did on the cross, we are able to truly love our neighbor and our fellow Christians as God first intended us to do so.

Our people at Common Ground took this sermon to heart yesterday and did show love to one of own; in every sense of the word “love.” This past Monday, we found out that Barbara Dean passed away. Barbara was only with us for a year before she had a massive stroke which made her wheelchair bond and unable to speak (or sing). Because of the stroke, she was sent back home (by her daughter) to Nassau Bahamas so she could be taken care of by the family. That was 3 years ago and this past Monday God called her home. Emmy (her daughter) still comes to our little church. We made known that a minimum of $350 was needed to help Emmy make it to Nassau for the September 4th funeral of her mom. Roger (our senior pastor) told the people during the announcements of the amount needed and $650 came in. Not only do we have enough for Emmy’s plane ticket, but extra for whatever is needed. We took this new commandment to heart yesterday and by our actions we showed we are Christ's disciples.

Any of the spiritual gifts can be and have been imitated by non-Christians for profit. Any of the external marks of piety that Christians have adopted can be faked. But sustained, on-going love for each other, love modeled after Christ's love for us cannot be counterfeited. Such love is the true mark of the Christian.

Conservatism Does Not Equal Salvation


This post is influenced by what I have been hearing the last few weeks on talk radio and Fox News channel (which I enjoy watching) and seeing since the early 1980s. I am very conservative in my Biblical Theology and Liberal in my Methodology which means I preach Christ is the only way to heaven but serve others with God’s love with no strings attached. God draws people to Himself not me. When it comes to politics I try to be apolitical; meaning, I do not use God’s pulpit to preach the GOP or the DNC platform. I hold to what Billy Graham once said, “I’m not for the right wing or for the left wing; I’m for the whole bird.”

I think in our churches; especially the evangelical ones (once called fundamentalist churches) that when we see and hear someone who is a conservative politician who think they are a Christian; especially if they claim to be one. I’ve learned to not make that assumption. Some who claim to be are and some are not; God truly is the only One who knows His children. I want to caution Christians to not leap to that conclusion.

I agree with Glenn Beck on somethings and I think he and his radio partners are funny; however, I can not and will not call him a Christian. He is a Mormon and if you know anything about the “Latter Day Saints” you know they are not Christians. They hold to works to earn salvation and they believe that God (or what they call God) is only one of many gods. He is the god of this section of space but there are others. There is only one true God and there is only one way to heaven and it’s not through works; it’s through Jesus Christ. So use caution when you put too much into what Glenn Becks says when he is saying America needs to get back to its foundation. He is speaking about “spiritualism” and not Christianity. He sees (I heard him say this on the O’Reilly Factor) the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and any other group’s god as being the same; they are not. Research it out; yes the Christian and Jewish faith hold to one true God but the Jews do not see Jesus as the promised Messiah. When you research Islam, Allāh is not the same name for the God of Christianity, but is the name of the moon god thus the use of the Islamic symbol of the moon and star.

I am saying this so you don’t assume a conservative politician is a Christian, or a liberal politician isn’t a Christian; check them out. Since the 1980’s rise of the “Religious Right” more politicians have made the claim of being a Christian. I can not say who is and who is not but actions speak very loudly. The best test to determine if a person is a true Christian (not fool proof) is if they say Christ only when speaking about eternal salvation. If a person says Christ plus (anything) they are most likely not a Christian or really theologically ignorant. If they say Christ plus the church, Christ plus good works, or Christ plus . . . a read flag should pop up because of John 14:6 (Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.).

I write this only to make sure people are not blindly following anything or anyone other than the one true God and relying on Him through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection from the grave. Be a person a political conservative or a political liberal; if they confess Christ only for salvation they are a child of God. If a person is a political conservative or a political liberal and says Christ plus whatever, there is a good chance they are just religious. Being religious will not get a person to heaven; the person Jesus Christ does. It’s something to think about.

The “One” Who Does



From time to time, I think about what God is doing with Common Ground Community Church. I can’t believe it hasn’t been a year yet since we put more focus on getting the ministries of the church more organized. Roger (the Senior Pastor) asked me to get the church better organized because this is my giftedness. Last night Teresa mentioned how he has changed (in a good way) and it is because he can now just focus on studying for sermons and preparing for the Leadership Training sessions we do for future leaders of CGCC. In less than a year, a lot has happened in our little church and ministries are more organized and we are growing.

It can be freeing to know that you can rely on someone else to get things done so you can focus on your passion. I learned several years back that God is the One who builds a ministry/church. After all, the church is His bride. I’ve been a stuff member of some churches that say you must do XYZ and the ministry or church will grow. Sometimes it did and sometimes it didn’t. If it grew, then you felt like you did things right and if they didn’t you had the stress of figuring things out to get it to grow. If you notice the common denominator is “you.” We don’t do anything to grow a church and/or ministry. God does the growing.

As the Executive Pastor of CGCC, my goal isn’t to organize the church to better reach our community with the gospel of Christ. My goal is for us to stay out of God’s way and follow His lead. If we keep our eyes on our Master, He will direct us where He wants us; He will send people to us to reach and teach; and He will send us labors to work with us to reach our community.

Once I discovered this truth; that it’s all about Him and bringing God the glory it has freed me to serve Him better. It’s not about building a name for myself in the SBC or having people ask me how we got it done or how we grew to X number; it’s all about pointing people to Jesus Christ. The words me, we (the Elders of CGCC), or us (the members of CGCC) should never be used in completing the work of the gospel. God does not need us to do His work; He chooses to use us.

Remember the main goal of the any local church. It’s not to build to a certain number; it’s not to be known in our community, city, start, or country; it’s not to have other churches calling asking how, why, or when; it is all about honoring our Savior and bringing Him the glory.

You’ve Got to Be Kidding!!

Today the department I work in at Dollar Tree did a team building outing; it was fun. Before we left, I sent out a memo suggesting another type of team building event. I put a link to this blog along with a link of the video of me finishing Saturday’s race. I wrote that next year’s “The Military Challenge” race would be an ideal team building event. You can have up to 5 people to a team. I meant it as a joke, but I have enjoyed the reactions from my co-workers.

Not long after I sent the memo, I was talking with Teresa and I heard “You’ve got to be kidding; that man’s not right!” from the lady who sits beside me. I told Teresa I thought she had read my memo and she did. I know that are some that might even think about it but I know they are few. We adventure racers are few and far between.

On Saturday, I did see a team of 4 that started with me in the second stage from First Baptist Church of Norfolk. I thought that maybe next year I can get a few of the guys from Common Ground to run with me. One almost did this year until he did something to his knee. We have some in our church that would try it at least. Maybe next year, there will be a Team Common Ground. That would be a different type of outreach.

The Military Challenge 2010

Below are some photos of the race I ran in on Saturday, July 31. This race is Teresa’s anniversary gift to me; 14 years on July 20. My wife knows me so well; I loved this gift. In the middle of the photos is a link to the race’s website that has a video of me finishing the race; its 25 seconds long. If you are wondering why I ran this race, my answer is why not. That’s how I’m wired. A challenge is never too big.
Since this is “The Military Challenge” there were a lot of military there. I saw a Marine wearing a t-shirt with “Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body.” I agree completely. Enjoy seeing my insanity.

The face of a very excited man ready to get dirty!

It's 6:45am and we just arrived at the VA Beach Sporting Complex.

You people are crazy; it's 6:45am. It's sleeping time!

Stretching for the race.

Just kissed Ripley for luck.

And the race begins.

Finishing the 20 fense posts; that was killer!

Coming out of the mud pit.

Tom making his way to the last obstacle; the slip and slid.

Tom starting the 20 ft long slip and slid.

Just about to finish.

The Military Challenge 2010 - Virgina Beach, VA :: FinishCam.com

A clip to see me coming through the finish line. My actual time is 39:51.55; I was the 2nd group.

Very happy to be done.

Happy to have some cold water.

Tom not caring that he is white under the shirt; it's alot cool with that off.

Tom washing off the mud.

Last phot before Tom took off the pants. Yes he had biker shorts on.

Community

Before I start with the main topic to this posting which is community, I wanted to share what inspired it. Monday evening, I received a call informing me that one of the members of our weekly small group was taken to the hospital. Teresa and I prayed and I sent an e-mail asking for prayer. After 30 minutes, I received another call informing me that Rick Page (the small group member) had passed away. It shocked me and Teresa. We later found out he had a heart issue he and his wife knew nothing about. Rick was only 53 years old. As I was typing an e-mail to send to the Common Ground folks I kept thinking about our last small group meeting. Rick had brought his guitar and we spent 30 minutes just singing worship songs and I thought now Rick is worshiping our Savior face-to-face. It still brings tears thinking about it.

It is only because of our small group that I got to know Rick. I’ve knew he and his wife for almost 5 years but it wasn’t until we came together in a small group over a year ago that we started building a closer bond. I’ve been part of small groups for over 10 years and it never ceases to amaze me just how close a group can get. I do believe that a church should have small groups as its core because that is where the community is built. No matter how small or big a church is, small groups is where the bonds are created.

Our small group has dinner together each week before we do our Bible study. Doing this has created something that I have never seen before. It’s great to be apart of it. You see, I’m a member of the group; not the leader. I’m enjoying seeing how this group has brought out the gifts of Ed Frost (the host/leader of the group). This is a time for me to be part of a group and listen to others. I enjoy each week. The community in this group of 10.5 people -5 couples and baby Ripley (the .5) - is amazing. We hold each other accountable to words spoken and actions made, we love on each other, pray for each other, and now we are crying with each other.

I do wish more churches have small groups. The community that they create is what our world needs to see as an example of the New Testament church; people from different backgrounds, education, race, and financial make up all loving each other and sharing Christ with others.

Ed Frost has known the Page family for many years. Check out Ed’s thought about his friend at http://outerperspective.blogspot.com/.

Lucky (or Blessed) Man



Today is my 14th wedding anniversary so I wanted to post just how lucky of a man I am. I remember back in college talking with some older married students and them asking if I was married or happy. I know they meant it as a joke, but I always wanted to say that I was a happily married man. I prayed that God would give me a Proverbs 31 wife; I prayed this for the first time as a 16 year old preacher-boy and prayed it throughout my dating years. I sought the perfect woman and dated a lot of attractive women but I always asked God, “Is this the one You want for me?” It never failed, through circumstances the answer would be no so I went one to the next one. I knew God had called me to be in the ministry and I was told that I needed to be married so I looked for a ministry wife. I did this until I got tired of dating and decided to not date for awhile. That is when God sent Teresa into my life.

Teresa and I met when I worked at QVC. She was a Fulfillment Supervisor and I an hourly associate. I never worked for your department but we came into contact a few times. We started hanging out after work with a few others and then I invited her to church. She came several times. As our friendship deepened, I started to wonder if she was a Christian, so I asked her. She told me that she was not and that day God used me to draw her to Himself; the date was April 1, 1996. After her conversion, our friendship developed into something deeper. I wasn’t sure what it was morphing into. I prayed if Teresa could be the one for me. After the past relationships, I thought that she was but I needed to know. You see, Teresa was (and still is) the perfect package; she is beautiful, smart, caring, straight-forward, loved (still does) the Lord, and the list would take too long to read. I loved our friendship and feared that if I tried to take it to the next level it would stop. God was showing things to Teresa as I was praying, and she felt the same way. God has put us together at the right place and at the right time for us to be together. After praying and dating for 10 years, God gave me my Proverbs 31 wife.

I can say and I mean this with all my heart that I am the man I am today because God put Teresa and me together. I honestly believe God uses other people to mold us into who He wants us to become. Luck didn’t put Teresa and me together; it was God. I am blessed beyond measure with Teresa in my life. May God bless us with another few hundred more years today! I can honestly say, “I am a very happily married man

I Am Blessed

Sometimes we forget just how blessed we are of God. Living our lives, working our jobs, and doing the same thing day in and day out, we tend to forget to stop (and smell the roses). It takes going on vacation for some of us and others they never do stop.

Teresa, Ripley, and I have been away in KY since July 1. I’m on vacation!! I knew that God has blessed me so much in my life but getting to spend all day the last week with Ripley, I can see just how blessed I am. She is so pleasant and sweet. It has been a treat to see her and care for her; to watch Teresa love on her; and see her meet our families for the first time. I love everything about her.

I was going to wait and post my thoughts when I got home but I can’t wait. I want to shout just how great my God is and how He has blessed this sinner far more than I desire. He drew me to Himself at the age of 7 and He has molded me into the man I am today; through the good, the bad, and the indifferent situations of my life. He loves me far more than I desire. As a father now, I can see just a small bit of how He can love me like He does. How can I not serve Him the rest of my life?

Thank you Father for loving an unlovable person. Please take this small offering and use me to do whatever with me and to me so that You will receive the honor and glory.

Broken



Over the last year, I have put a lot of pictures on my computer. I found most of them on the internet to put on sermon PowerPoint slides, to be used in the church’s weekly newsletter, or to put on my blog. Since I have some many, I set my screen saver to display them and I just saw one (see the picture on the left) that made me think about how sometimes God has to break before we are useable; to bring Him glory.

Jesus is called the Great Shepherd and what do shepherds do? They watch over the sleep which are His people; Christians. In the ancient near-east, if a sheep would wonder from the protection of its shepherd it could get hurt or be killed by a predator. The main tool a shepherd had was his staff. The staff was made from a small tree where the shepherd would fashion a hook on one end to be used to grab a sheep. On the other end would be the root of the tree shaped into a ball. The shepherd would have to use this end to teach the hardest lesson of all for the sheep. In order to make sure a wondering sheep learns to stay close to him, the shepherd would use the ball end and break the sheep’s leg. After the shepherd broke the leg, he would put a splint on it and the shepherd would carry this animal everywhere on his shoulders. As time went by, the leg would heal and the sheep would be able to walk on its own. Because the shepherd carried the sheep everywhere, the sheep would stay close to the shepherd and would never wonder too far from him.

For some of God’s children who tend to wonder, God gives them every chance to come back on their own. If they do not, He will put something in their lives to break them. This something could be an illness or loss of a job, money, friends, or even a loved one. There is no limit how God can and will break a person. If the person is truly God’s child they will come back to Him asking for help in whatever circumstance they are in. In this time, God loving and carefully carries them through this time of healing and learning.

In some cases of a wondering sheep that didn’t learn the lesson of its broken leg and continue to wonder away, the shepherd would have to kill it so the other sheep wouldn’t start to wonder. As the Great Shepherd, God too may have to kill (or call home as Paul writes in his letters) an unrepentant child so that the body as a whole will learn the lesson intended.

God wants the best for His children. Some are misguided in thinking that the world has what we truly want but everything the world has to offer is emptiness. Full satisfaction is only found in Jesus Christ. Everything else is a lie from Satan. If you have wondered away from God and you feel Him calling you back, turn to Him and He will welcome you with open loving arms.

Tolerance



The word “Tolerance” is threw everywhere these days by those who practice things that the Standard (the Bible) shows to be sin. Those of us who loving (let me repeat loving) show these people that the Bible says what they do is wrong are called haters or intolerant. But it never fails when the tolerant group shows themselves to be who they really are when one of their own crosses the “line.” They show themselves to be more intolerant than we can ever being.

The reason for this post is that yesterday, I heard Shawn Hannity on his radio show mention that he and his wife attended Rush Limbaugh’s wedding over the weekend and they enjoyed themselves. He mentioned something about Elton John singing but I wasn’t paying attention. Well today I read the following on-line:

“When right-wing radio star Rush Limbaugh tied the knot with his much-younger fourth bride Kathryn Rogers this weekend, the event's main spectacle -- aside from a tongue-in-cheek congratulatory banner flying above the ceremony, courtesy of Gawker -- was the mystery of why the openly gay singer Elton John performed there.
But in the wake of news that Elton's $1 million artist fee may have influenced his decision to serenade a guy known for his homophobic and anti-liberal on-air crusades, the gay community is starting to vocalize its collective outrage.
"I'm flabbergasted," Aaron Hicklin, Editor-in-Chief of Out, told PopEater. "It betrays either ignorance or self-interest or both, and jeopardizes his admirable record on gay rights."
Michael Musto of the Village Voice called the Rocket Man a "w***e" for his actions on Monday’s "Countdown With Keith Olbermann." And blogs like Queerty.com as well as the comment sections at websites for The Advocate and Out Magazine have been lighting up with tasks about the singer's apparent hypocrisy, according to PopEater.
Still, it seems unlikely that the Rocket Man will admit fault in his apparent support of the conservative couple. His 2001 duet with Eminem at the Grammys also incited ire among viewers who noted that some of the rapper's lyrics include anti-gay slurs. And Elton's 2005 assertion that "if gay people want to get married ... they should have a civil partnership," a comment he made to USA Today at his own civil partnership ceremony with David Furnish, hasn't exactly made him the celebrity spokesperson for overturning Proposition 8.”

There is a saying “Love the Sinner and hate the sin.” When Christians try to do this, we are labeled “Intolerant.” I know Jesus Christ told us that the world will hate us because they first hated Him. I know we will never be seen for who we truly are because this world is blind to the truth of God’s love. This article is just an example of how hypercritical “open-minded” or “tolerant” people really are when it comes to people who go against their agenda.

Little Things Mean A Lot



It’s been a difficult week for me. We had a family leave the church for only God truly knows why. There are at lease 6 reasons it could be. The man was involved with the youth (as a helper) so he told them yesterday and then left. That’s part of being in the ministry seeing people leave for good and/or bad reasons. I tell myself that it’s not about them and it’s not about me; it’s all about bringing honor and glory to God the Father.

I just talked with a different gentleman whom I haven’t seen in a few weeks. He and his family are attending another church now. He wasn’t part of any ministry. He was part of our Leadership Training program. He was at one time very faithful to the men’s group but I did notice him missing more lately. Again, only God truly knows why they left but this one hurts a little more just because he was part of the men’s group and I was thinking he could take the group over for me down the road. Again, it’s all part of being in the ministry.

The week wasn’t all bad. Teresa shared with me that the first session of our Women’s Ministry small group had over 18 ladies in it last night. The group is so big that they have to meet at church instead of a house going forward. Maybe, the group can split into two or three more groups but that will be a little further down the road. That is a blessing.

This morning while I was thinking about the two families who left Common Ground, praising God for the women’s small group blessing, trying to get my Monday morning stuff done for my bill paying job, sending e-mails to the other Elders about Father’s Day which is also Baby Dedication and Children’s Promotion Sunday planning I had a little reminder of just how blessed I am. Teresa called asking me where something was but before she hung up, I talked with Ripley on the phone. I heard breathing and her little noises she makes and it almost sounds like she said, “Hi.” It still puts a smile on my face thinking about my adorable 6.5 month old daughter. Little things do mean a lot.

Even though ministry can be hard (and it is), God is always the One who does. I’m just called to follow His lead. He’s always encourages and empowers me to do what He has called me to do and be. Remember that.

Ripley’s 6 Month Check Up and God’s Power

On Tuesday, Ripley had her 6 month check up and her vaccine shots. Teresa told me she took the shots (one in her right thigh and two in the left) very well like the last two times. According to the doctor, Ripley is in the middle of her 7th month with her motor functions, in the 75 percentile for her weight and length, and in the 90 percentile for her head (I take that meaning she has a big brain and smart).

Tuesday was the normal day after the vaccine shots where Ripley wasn’t her usual self because her body was generating immunity to what was put in her in the shots. Tuesday night she was running a mild temperature (101.5 degrees) but the on-call doctor told us to give her children’s Tylenol. This is as it had been the last 2 times before. The only difference this time around is that Ripley was still not herself on Wednesday; lying around not being her energic self.

When I got home on Wednesday, Ripley was asleep as usual but she never really was awake; she was just there. I noticed her left thigh was swollen and was red around area of the shots. That’s when Teresa told me that they had given two shots in the left thigh. I held Ripley for awhile so Teresa could eat and she slept on me; I love it when she does this. At 6:30 we went upstairs; Teresa took Ripley to our bedroom and I went to the study to get church stuff done. When I came in the room around 7:15 Ripley was standing (Teresa holding her study) and she seemed like herself. She looked at me and had a big smile. It seemed she was thinking “Hi, Daddy! When did you get home?” It was a relief for me because in the back of my head every time we have to do the vaccine thing I think about the rise of Autism in the U.S. I think, “Is there a link of babies getting vaccines and the rise of Autism?” There is no concrete proof that vaccines can cause Autism in babies but there is no evidence that can disproof it either. I hold my breath when we do it and when Ripley is Ripley afterward, I can relax. I chalk it up to being a first time father but there is a concern for me if there is a relationship of getting vaccines and the possible cause of certain types of Autism.

I say that I had concerns with this but I know nothing will happen to Ripley unless God allows it to. I tell people that it’s alright to be concerned but not to worry. For me, when you worry you doubt God can work in the situation. God is always in control. Even when Ripley had to have surgery to correct the intestinal malrotation when she was only 10 days old, I knew God was in control and His prefect will was going to be done. I was never worried; a little concerned for my baby but I knew God was going to carry her though and He did.

Sometimes, we forget that God is the One who created everything we know. If you take the entire known universe and the unknown universe and put it all in the palm of God’s hand it is only a like a speck of dust. He is the all-powerful, everywhere present, all-knowing, and loving God. If you are reading this and call yourself a Christian, remember you had enough faith to trust you eternal soul to the One (Jesus Christ; God in flesh) why can’t you trust Him enough to carry you through whatever you are going through? When you worry, you doubt God’s power to carry you. Trust in Him.

Below are two video clips and some photos of our trip to Roanoke and my parents’ house. We had a great time with my parents and got some well needed rest. Enjoy.

Ripley play soldier. Can you see her? She needs a better set of BDUs.

Grandmomma showing Ripley how to play the keyboard.

Ripley in her Sunday dress.

Ripley shouting "I am the champion!"

Ripley getting tired of tummy time.

Ripley standing on Daddy sporting the gift her 2nd cousin bought her. Tammy is in the Army National Guard.

Ripley meets my parent's cat.

Teresa feeding Ripley.

Ripley with her Granddaddy and Grandmomma.

Culture of Mediocrity

Since December of 2005, Teresa and I have been members of Common Ground Community Church. For most of this time I’ve worked with the Elders of Common Ground to get small groups started (we have 4 with a 5th one on the way), developed a Men’s Ministry, and general church ministry stuff (i.e. preaching, teaching, and general leadership). Since January of 2010, I have been the Executive Pastor of our church. The founding pastor and the other Elders asked me to help get Common Ground more organized. God has been working since then and we have made some progress. We’ve redeveloped the Women’s Ministry, called a young man to lead the young people of our church, developed a Leadership Training program for men who will be part of the leadership of CG, and are making progress in completing the construction project. It’s a team effort with the other Elders working with me and of course God is the One Who does it all. There is one thing that is troubling to not only me but it has been seen by the other Elders. The culture of mediocrity has affected the church; not just CG, but I think in the church as a whole.

The definition of mediocrity is the quality or state of being of moderate or low quality, value, ability: ordinary, so-so. We have stopped asking our people to step up and use their giftedness for the sake of the church body. We have not educated the new Christian to think of others before they think of themselves. Our churches have been so consumer oriented that the average member will just sit and be served instead of serving others. It’s amazing to me that God’s people can be alright just sitting and allowing a few to do all the work. It blows my mind and I try to think how this has happened. I think one word can be given for the rise of the culture of mediocrity in the church; Accountability.

We do not hold our people accountable any more. We fear that they will get mad and leave the church. The statement is thrown out “We aren’t to judge our brothers or sisters but to love them.” We are to love them but what better way to show love but by holding a brother or sister in Christ accountable for their actions. James 5:19 and 20 says;

“My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

The average church attendee has the wrong idea of what faithfulness is all about. Their view of faithfulness is a lower quality version of what faithfulness truly is all about. They see going to church as being good but if they get to bed too late on Saturday, they are alright with blowing off church and sleeping in. If junior or little girl has a function (sports, club activity, etc) on Sunday, that function is attended and church is blown off. I know people may miss church from time to time, but church should be something you set your Sunday to or whenever your church meets. Parents you are teaching your children on how important or unimportant church is by what your priority is. Do you miss church because of a sporting tournament season or because NASCAR is on or the NBA game is on? Church attendance has become of low value.

If you attend your church weekly, then I’m sure you are not part of the culture I am writing about. Or are you? Are you giving your all in your service; not just church attendance but are you serving the God Who gave His life for you?

The culture of mediocrity can and does affect church leadership. After hitting your head against the wall of lackadaisicalness enough times, it can affect the enthusiasm of the most faithful of God’s people. If you are leader of a church and you are reading this, keep your eyes on God and follow His lead. He is the One who does; we are called to follow Him. He will make sure to send you workers when you need them. As leaders, we are called to hold our people accountable for what they are and what they are not doing.

I do want to make it a point to say that at Common Ground, we have some great workers. We have people doing multiple jobs. We are a church of 75-80 people so we do have holes in some ministries but we trust God to send us workers. With the culture of mediocrity, it makes it challenging. Especially if you have workers who don’t show up to serve (not calling to say they won’t make it). Or when they are not scheduled to serve in their ministry, they miss church regularly. It can get frustrating but you know as you educate the body on what the Bible says about faithfulness and holding the body accountable this culture can be undone in time. It’s all about staying true to “What does the Bible say.”

I just want to say that Common Ground has some great people and I’m so thankful that Teresa and I have been able to use our giftedness to serve them since 2005. They are a hard working group who are other people focused. When I see their true faithfulness, I can see our little church do something great for the cause of Christ.

Reactions

There is an old middle-eastern proverb I once read; “When you throw a stone in the middle of a pack of dogs; the one who yells the loudest is the one the stone hit.” I didn’t think preaching on Mother’s Day would get a strong verbal reaction but one point did.

Yesterday was my first Mother’s Day sermon. I know that not all moms look forward to this day for different reasons so I wanted the sermon to be an encouragement. The title was “A Mother’s Day Card From God” where I read Proverbs 31:10-31 because to me this is an ideal Mother’s Day card. For those women who struggle with this day, I brought up the point that the Bible is God’s Mother’s Day card to all mothers. In this card, there is a message for everything they face and feel. I highlighted just six points. They were Discouragement, Needing Help, Loneliness, Tiredness, Worrying, and the final point was on Anger.

Anger was actually the second point I bought up. I used Ephesians 4:26; 31-32 and Proverbs 15:1. I used an illustration from Billy Sunday;

“Billy Sunday tells a story about a lady once came to him and tried to rationalize her angry outbursts. “There’s nothing wrong with losing my temper," she said. "I blow up, and then it's all over."
"So does a shotgun," Sunday replied, "and look at the damage it leaves behind!’”

I thought that all was just like the first point until I said that words can destroy so we all need to use anger as a tool and not as a weapon. I heard something in the crowd; almost like someone being elbowed. After the service, a man came up to me and said that his wife needed the sermon because she struggles with anger. He said with a smile.

You never know who needs what but the Holy Spirit does. I pray that this lady will do some self-examining and try to work on this.

More Ripley Photos and Video

Below is a video of me feeding Ripley green beans and some photos from Mother's Day.

Good greenbeans, Mommy!

Feeding Ripley greenbeans.

Daddy and Ripley on Mother's Day.

A photo of a cute coat that Ripley will never to able to wear now that it's spring and she has outgrown it.

Teresa was putting too small item to the side to sale and came across this coat that Ripley will be too big to waer next winter. Too bad.