God always seems to make me stop and go "Wow!" I was killing time on FaceBook and came across a group called PHCC Men's Fellowship. I clicked on it and it's the men's ministry of the church I worked with before coming to Common Ground. Back in 2002, I felt God telling me that Point Harbor Comm. Church needed something for the men. I started a monthly men's breakfast which morphed into doing golfing outings, men's retreats, and trips to Promise Keeper's Conf. God allowed me to see that this ministry is going strong without me. I handed this ministry off back in 2005 to 2 men who God has used to carry it further. When God is in a ministry, it will last long after we are gone. Our God is awesome!

Good Report



Last November, I talked with a church planter at the SBCV Home Coming Meetings. Steve shared the idea of relauching a plant he took over as pastor in 2007. In September, God had moved us from starting a new church to pastoring and I still had money from the Bible Study we had started. After talking with Steve and hearing his vision for Virginia Beach, VA, I had to share this money with him. He came to mind on Sunday after talking with the leaders of a Virginia Beach church that wants to merge their 50 people with a church plant. Because of FaceBook (love FB), I was able to hear what God has been doing with him and his church.
This is a great report and I am so glad we shared God’s money with him. He wrote,

“Tom,
Thanks for the encouragement. Just the other day your name came up. You were the only one who came through with funding in the early stages of this vision. I can't thank you enough. We've had a great first 6 months. We've had about 6 baptisms and a few more coming at the end of the month and several others that have accepted Christ but aren't yet ready to be baptized. Each week we have 5-10 visitors and several return visitors. It's been a great and wild ride.”

It’s nice to know I was able to encourage a dear brother in Christ and help get this body of believers going in God’s direction. Keep Essential Church and Steve Swisher in your prayers and they push back the darkness in Virginia Beach.

God Was Glorified



The service at Pine Chapel Baptist Church went very well. The main idea of the sermon was that we (the church) need to stay focused on the goal Paul talks about in Philippians 3:12-16. I talked about if the church or we Christians are distracted from fulfilling our goal or purpose we fail. The main goal or purpose of the church and as Christians is to bring glory to God period. I spoke on one thing that can and will distract us from fulfill this goal; it is self-centeredness.
The people were receptive to the sermon. There were a lot of positive comments as people left. My only goal today was to make sure the church body was encouraged, and to make sure they left fed; of course, this we secondary to the main goal which was to make sure to glorify God the Father.
I guess the topic could have been ill received if the approached was different. I approach of the sermon was as a talk among family. I look forward to seeing how God uses this to spark talks of the families during Sunday dinner and with the church body talking among themselves. All in all, I feel God was glorified.

Sunday’s Report

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to preach at Living Proof Baptist Church in Williamsburg, VA. Teresa and I had a good time with this church. I wanted share what God did through us. The main goal I set for this adventure was one, bring honor to God and two, encourage the members of this church.

Let me share a little history about this church before I share our adventure story. LPBC was started in 2001. The church has been meeting in a former Christian school for the last 2 years (I believe they own the property). The founding pastor needed a rest from ministry due the health issues of his wife. They moved to be with his sending church in FL in October. LPBC has been without a pastor for a month, but have been developing a search for a new pastor. The founding pastor left this body very healthy and well equipped to reach their community. The leadership loves the Lord and is very capable men.

Living Proof is 50 miles from our house (in Portsmouth) and according to TomTom the trip took us 56 minutes. We arrived at 10:40 and were greeted by a sweet young lady holding a 3 month old baby who did nothing but smile (very cute). The young lady showed us to the sanctuary (a gym) and we talked with her until their Sunday School glasses let out. She handed us over to Delon; the media guy and the one I’ve traded e-mails with. After getting the Power Point and video ready, I talked with members who came up to us. This church was very warm and friendly (even before they knew who I was and better yet even after they met me).

I preached on “What is Truth?” using John 14:6 ("I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”). I preached for 45 minutes, and had two men come down and prayer at the foot of the stage. I was told later that one of the church’s small groups has been studying this very subject and that the leader was impressed how I dealt with the subject so thoroughly in a short about of time.

Teresa and I were taken out for lunch by Mr. and Mrs. Curtis at Second Street Bistro (if you are ever in Williamsburg check this place out). We had good food and great fellowship. Mr. Curtis is retired from TWA Airlines and moved here from Las Vegas (after living there for over 25 years) and enjoys history. We had a good time talking history and other things. We had a great time and I feel God was honored and the church body was encouraged.

I let the church’s leadership know if they needed me again, I’d love to return. I shared this with Don Cockes (SBCV Church Enrichment Missionary). Please keep Living Proof Baptist Church in your prayers. They are looking for an Interim Pastor for now but would like a pastor in place within a year.

God's Man



I just talked with a young man who God has given me the honor to mentor over the last 7 years. In order for you to understand the excitement I have in writing about our conversation, I want to give a little background.

Rick and his wife were in the Navy (he still is) when they came to Point Harbor Community Church in 2000. Both were not saved and just married with a child on the way so they wanted to check out the church. Shortly after, they got saved. Rick jumped in with the sports ministry and helped me with the men’s ministry. He was young and eager to learn. While I walked with him and encouraged him to read his Bible, I saw that God wanted to use him more. Rick started helping the youth pastor the last year before he was transferred. Satan tried to discourage him through some of the members of the church but I lifted him up and encouraged him.

God moved Rick to Spain to do security for a Navy base there for 2 years. His wife and now 3 kids could not come because the youngest son had health issues. I knew Satan would target Rick being so far away from home and his family. I prayed for him and sent him care packages (music CDs, cookies, youth ministry books, etc.). He told me that he started working with the youth whose parents were stationed at the base. God was blessing the ministry. A year in his time in Spain, I sensed something wrong and saw on his MySpace page he listed his status as single (instead of married). I questioned him about it and he was planning on ending his marriage because of non-Biblical reasons. I held him accountable (with love) and told him he was wrong and needed to get back with his wife. It was tough but he did it and now they are strong in their marriage and both serving the Lord in Jacksonville, FL. Rick is now a small arms instructor at a nearby base.

Now back the conversation we had; Rick as been asked to be a youth pastor of a small church near Jacksonville. He can do his Navy job and minister with the teens. He and his wife are excited about this possibility. I’m excited to see God doing His thing with this now 32 year old man who I’ve had the honor of knowing and seeing grow. Keep Rick and Kristine in your prayers (and their 3 children). May God use Rick greatly in this new direction.

CHKD

Teresa and I have no children. We aren’t trying to have them nor are we trying not to have them. God hasn’t blessed us with them and we both feel that children are a blessing from God. God has given me a soft heart when it comes to children. When I hear news about a child being hurt or killed, I get mad and sad. Sometimes I feel the same way about adults but not very often.

Yesterday at around 4:40 PM Roger called me and asked me to go to Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters. A church member’s child was rushed there at 10:30 am in an ambulance and they wanted someone to come. He had another appointment at 5:30 pm that he couldn’t cancel. By this time, I had been home maybe 15 minutes and had put my house clothes on. I got the needed information and hung up the phone and got dressed.

We live maybe 5 minutes from the hospital so I got there and told the ER people that I was the family’s pastor and a security guard walked me to the room. The parents have been in this little room since 10:30 am (it was a little after 5 pm when I got there). They looked tired and worried. Little Trinity was just a crying because of the pain. She’s only 13 months old so this was how she showed her pain. The doctor in the room was awesome and was very caring. I was impressed. After the doctor left, I talked with the family and prayed with them. I stayed for about an hour and half. I left only after the grandfather arrived and the room was too small for 6 people so I left. I wanted to stay with the family until they had a room but I knew it was time to leave. I prayed with the family one more time and made sure they had my cell phone number in case they needed me again.

Please pray for little Trinity and her parents Jonathon and Crystal.

Fellowship Over Starbucks



Today after work, I was able to meet with Jamie for coffee. Jamie is one of the new church planters who have moved to the area. We had a great time of talking and getting to know one another. Jamie used to work for Starbucks so he had bags of it in the house so he gave me a pound of coffee beans (way cool). It was neat to hear his background and how God opened the doors for him to move here.

Through our conversation, I learned that Jamie is a graphic artist. He has offered to do anything we need for graphic designs. It's neat to have this new contact. Next week, we (Teresa and I) will meet Jamie and his family will have lunch after church. I look forward to seeing how God will use Jamie at ODU.

Iron Sharpening Iron

In the last 2 weeks, I’ve been seeing and talking with one of the men who attend the weekly men’s group I lead at the gym. This man has grown the last 2 years and I enjoy talking with him. He just started a new job at a nearby car dealership so he works out at the same place I do now. It’s nice talking with him in passing. I talked with him today about me meeting up with him at his place of business to talk. The dealership has a café for their employees and we will try to hook up next week.

I enjoy meeting with people and having either a meal or coffee with them. I enjoy the conversation and it’s a great chance to see who they are outside of church. These meetings allow them to see me outside of church as well. I’m who I am no matter where I go. What you see is what you get with me (good, bad, or indifferent), but some people think as a preacher we’re different than other people. Granted, most preachers are different but that’s not because they’re preachers; it’s just because they are weird ; - ).

Building this type of closeness with my men, allows me to sharpen them in their walk. As the Bible says, as iron sharpens iron brothers in the Lord are to sharpen each others walk (I’m paraphrasing it). Men are men, no matter what their background is. Most guys don’t like coming to church or the idea of church because they are afraid of being demanned (a made up word). It’s my mission to let the men God sends me know that Jesus was a man’s man when He was on Earth. I think talking with this guy in the middle of bench press sets or curls, he sees a regular guy who loves the Lord and cares for him and his family.

Example of Grace

Yesterday I posted about a young man in our church who had to go before a judge because of the fight he got into at school. I saw him last night and we were able to talk. I could tell by his body language that things went well. The judge dismissed the charges as long as he continues to do well in school (he gets straight A’s). He didn’t have to do community serve and the fight will not be put I his permanent record. It’s as if this has never happened. This is true grace.

Former Creep with a Prayer Need

On Monday and Wednesday nights, we have a group who meet at the church for prayer; just to pray. Last night, I was leading this group who has no more than 4 people in total on a good night. I met one of the men early for dinner and he and I were at the church by 6:45; the prayer time starts at 7. The normal leader for Wednesday night’s group wasn’t coming so I figured it would just be me and Gil. At 7 pm the door opened it was one of our teenagers. I know this young man only by first name and the fact he is 6ft 4 inches tall and only 14 years old. I call this young man wall with legs (very big boy). I thought it was cool he came to prayer group.

The next 30 minutes that followed was very interesting. Gil and I got to hear all about this young man’s background. You see the reason he came to prayer group is to seek prayer for himself. He had gotten into a fight on Tuesday during the school day and is suspended for 5 days. Added to that, he has to go in front of a judge today (at 5pm) because of the fight. The reason he has to go in front of a judge is because he has a record from when he lived in GA.

Before coming to Christ, this young man was a Creep and was in gang for several years. I let him talk for about 10 minutes while Gil asks questions. The type of questions a white person asks a black person about life on the street. I knew most of the answers because of being a youth pastor I Richmond, VA, but this was the young man’s story to tell. Long story shorted, we prayed for this young man along with the other prayer needs. I made sure he left feeling loved and encouraged. I’ve been praying that grace will be given to this young man who has a big heart. He just allowed things to go too far on Tuesday. If you ready this before 5 pm on Thursday, 5/29 pray for this young man.