Click below for the Loving God...Loving Others 40 Day Devotion
September 6th, 2011
http://www.ridgedalebaptist.org/downloads/40daydevotionalforwebsiteRBC2011.pdf
Posted by Bill McGinnis | 0 Comment(s)
Be Mission Minded
May 4th, 2011
My across the street neighbor, Glenn, had a huge tree fall on his house and cars. He and his wife are okay, but their cars are totaled and their house has quite a bit of damage. They’re a little bit older and many times in the past, and many times this week I have told him that if they need anything at all, just call me.
Today, at about 7:30am, he called me. He said that rain was coming in and he wanted to cover up a portion of his roof where his attic was exposed. He said he would do it, but his doctor wouldn’t let him. I said, “Well if your doctor is there, get him to do it!”
Okay, I didn’t say, but I was thinking it. Why? Because I’m afraid of heights. Not just kind of, or just a little bit, but freak out and grab you and possibly pee my pants afraid of heights. But I couldn’t tell Glenn that because all week I kept saying, “If you need anything, anything at all, just call me.” I never said “Anything at all except things higher than 10 feet,” so I couldn’t add that qualifier now, could I?
So I put on some old jeans and a tshirt (I figured if I peed my pants I didn’t want it to be my work pants) and I went on over. “I really appreciate you coming over to help me,” he said right away as if he could sense me about to bolt at any second. “No problem,” I lied.
We went around back and he said, “My son has my good ladder, but this one will probably hold up okay.” No joke, he said that. That is NOT what you want to hear when you are hesitant to climb on the ladder anyway. I looked at the old, wooden, missing-a-couple-of-rungs ladder and I threw up in my mouth a little. He said, “Here, let me hand you the tarp and a hammer and a jar of roofing nails.” And I said okay thinking Well at least I can use this tarp as a makeshift parachute when this ladder collapses.
Long story short I got the tarp up where Glenn wanted it and got off the roof without dying. When I went back home Ashley said, “I saw you up on the roof, you did great; it didn’t look like you were scared at all.”
“Thanks,” I said, knowing she was probably just trying to make me feel better.
“Is the tarp waterproof?” she asked.
“Yes, it’s waterproof.”
“Are you sure,” she asked again, “I mean, how do you know?”
“It’s waterproof, trust me,” I said. “I’ve got to go take a quick shower.”
“But you already took a shower… oh wait… is it because you got sweaty?”
“Uhhh, yeah… it’s because I got sweaty,” I said not wanting to talk anymore about how I knew it was waterproof or why I needed another shower.
The moral of the story is this: Your days are filled with opportunities to be missional if you just look for them. They won’t always be “fun” or even be comfortable, but you’ll live through them and God will be glorified because of them, and while watching Dancing with the Stars and going on trips to see plays is fun, it’s not the reason we’re here. The reason we are here is to share the love of Jesus Christ, our Savior, so that He might be glorified through our lives and known more in our community and around the world.
Being Mission Minded is as easy as 1, 2, 3.
1) Find someone in need,
2) Help them as much as you can,
3) Give God all the credit.
Posted by Kevin Lewis | 0 Comment(s)
Lovebirds
April 12th, 2011
Back in Marlow, the term “lovebirds” was applied (negatively) to people who were showing too much display of affection in public. I had no idea that the primary meaning of the word referred to a pair of parrots, multi-colored, native to Africa. The unique thing about these real “lovebirds” is that they bond to one another and to their owner in a most unusual way.
I recently drove my wife to the hair salon. While she was doing her thing, I went to the local Dunkin’ Donuts and did my thing! I sat outside to enjoy the beautiful sunshine in spite of the heavy pollen count. Halfway through my cup of coffee, I saw two birds sitting on the table beside me. At the same table there was a woman working with her computer. Assuming that the birds had escaped their cage and been attracted to pieces of donuts on the patio, I asked the woman, “Are those your birds?” Almost before she could answer, I asked a second question, “Won’t they fly away?” “Oh, no.” she said calmly. “They’re lovebirds. They’re bonded to each other and to me.” The woman later went to retrieve something from her car – the birds stayed on the table. A family with five lively children walked by and the birds stayed on the table.
The words of Jesus came to my mind and overwhelmed me: My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish (John 10:27-28). The question I asked myself is, “Am I that bonded to Jesus?” Maybe we should ask ourselves that question more often.
Posted by Bill Owens | 0 Comment(s)
Easter and Lenten Season 2011
March 11th, 2011
We all know what Advent and the Advent Season is - a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas- because as a Baptist church, we celebrate it each year, but we a lot of us are a little fuzzy on what Ash Wednesday and The Lenten Season of Easter are exactly. We know that Ash Wednesday happens, and that Lent exists, but it is not something we think too much more about.
This year I am hoping to change that.
The best way I have heard it described was by Archbishop Timothy Nolan of New York. He made a video this year where he said Lent is "40 days of spring training where we intensify our prayer, our acts of sacrifice, and our acts of charity. Why? To get ready for the High Holy days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. They're such terrific days, it takes us 40 days to get ready for them."
Watch the whole video HERE.
We make a huge deal out of Advent, as well we should, but we need to do the same for Easter. Without Christ's death on the cross, his burial, and his resurrection 3 days later, Christmas would be just another day in December.
(To be continued and completed)
Posted by Kevin Lewis | 0 Comment(s)
Cause a Scene for Jesus
November 17th, 2010
We are taking a group of 50 folks to see the Rockettes Christmas Show at the Grand Ol' Opry House in Nashville. It is going to be a blast and we cannot wait to go. You might say, "That's just a fun trip, what's the point of the church going???"
And you would be right... it IS a fun trip. And there is no spiritual gain from going.It isn't a conference, it isn't a seminar, they end the show with a live nativity scene but really, it's not a "spiritual show." So again you ask, "Why is the church going?"
We, as Christians, come together each Sunday and worship and fellowship and then, as the Bible instructs, we go out into the world. We go to work, we go to school, we go to sports parks, we go to clubs, we go to community events, we go, we go, we go. And that is good. We should go.
But as we go we are ALSO to spread the Gospel. We are to share with our actions, with our words, with our lives the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We go out among all men because those men may not come to us. We go among them and by living differently, by acting differently, by talking differently, we draw attention to ourselves and are HOPEFULLY then able to answer their question, "Why are you here?"
The "church" is not a building, it does not stand at 1831 Hickory Valley Road in Chattanooga; the church is you, the church is in East Brainerd and North Georgia and Red Bank and on December 11th we will be at the Grand Ol' Opy House watching the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes in Nashville.
Okay, that makes sense to most of you, but still you may be asking, "How can you be sure they know you are from a church?"
The best way to answer that is to show you a picture of us at the Rockettes two years ago.
I mean how could we not get noticed. This is 20 of us and look at the scene we caused, we are going to have 50 this time... we are FOR SURE going to get noticed.
And when we do we will have our chance to speak to someone about how great this Jesus guy is that we meet at that brick building on Hickory Valley Road every Sunday to talk about.
NOTE: To see the full story of this picture 2 years ago, click HERE
And remember to check the Reminder and the weekly bulletins to look for your chance to get out with us and cause a scene for Jesus.
Hope to see ya soon !
-Kevin
Posted by Kevin Lewis | 0 Comment(s)
