Anna First Baptist calls new associate pastor

Anna First Baptist Church called James Rose to become our new Associate Pastor / Minister to Youth and Families last night!  Several church members braved the stormy elements to attend the special called business meeting to consider the personnel committee’s recommendation to call Pastor James.  The vote was overwhelming!  We are all very excited about God’s plan for our church and our staff.

 Please pray for James and Tara.  They will be moving to Anna from West Jefferson, North Carolina.  They have five children Tava (8), Grace (6), Gabriel (4), Katie (2), and Ruth (3 months).

We look forward to many years of faithful and fruitful service together.  Praise God!

Biggest NFL surprises after week 3

Cowboys and Packers are 3-0.  Last year’s NFC championship participants (Saints and Bears) are a combined 1-5 (please don’t ask me where the lone victory came from….I can barely speak about it).  Randy Moss is on pace to make a run at an MVP nod.  LT, LJ, and Marc Bulger are putting up some real mediocre numbers (both real and fantasy).

What do you make of the 2007 NFL season so far?

Recent sermon series / topics

If you are a teaching pastor, what are you preaching about these days?  If you’re a lay-person, what is your pastor preaching about?

I’m doing a series on Sunday mornings about the top 10 issues churches are facing.  It came from a survey that Lifeway did a year or two ago.  Some real interesting topics.  Last Sunday I spoke about marriage and divorce.  A dear lady approached me after the early service and told me that it was the first time she’d heard a sermon on that topic in 30 years.  Wow.  The next two Sundays are on homosexuality and abortion (respect for life).

On Wednesday evenings, I’m going through the Gospel of John (this week, John 13:1-11).

2007 MLB Post-Season Awards

I was watching Mike and Mike in the morning on ESPN2 today.  They mentioned that Alex Rodriguez was a lock for AL MVP.  Do you agree?

While you’re at it, look into your crystal and predict (for both leagues):

MVP

Manager of the year

Comeback player of the year

Rookie of the year

League Champ

World series champ

 ADDENDUM:  Ken Rosenthal (foxsports.com) added this story at about 1:30 this afternoon (you think Rosenthal is a clost PTP reader?). 

Nice to know SOMEBODY in KC can make a tackle

Gearing up for the 2007 deer season

I’ve made a few recent purchases for the upcoming (October1st) archery deer season.

I’ve installed a Tru-Glo fiber optic sight ring with back up LED light.  It’s really cool!  The sight comes with 4 removable pins in 3 available colors.  $20 at Wal-Mart.

I also put an S-coil stabilizer from the good folks at Limb Savers on my bow.  It weighs less than 5 oz. and has a neat camo wrap around it.  Matches the bow very nicely.  $17 at Rural King.

Then I bought a real handy extension arm that screws into the tree you’re sitting in.  Gives you a place to hang your bow directly in front of you.  It also provides 3 hooks for lighter weight accessories (calls, binocs, etc..).  $10 at Dunn’s.

How are you preparing for this year’s fall deer season?

Coffee, faith healers, and NFL fines

When the caffeine is taken out of coffee, where does it go?

If obesity is a “disease”, why are so many Word-Faith gurus and faith healers so fat (and why do they wear glasses)?  Shouldn’t they be “healing” one another?  “In the name of all that is fit and buff, I rebuke this spirit of midnight Twinkies……..”

When the NFL levies a fine (like, say, $750,000 for the Patriots and Coach Bill), what is done with the money?

John “the Baptist” McCain….sort of

Well, what do you know?  John McCain is a Baptist….at least when he’s not an Episcopalian.  When asked about baptism, McCain explained that his wife and children have been baptized.  He has not, however, and does not feel that it is necessary for “his spiritual needs”.

Yeah…that’s why you should or shouldn’t get baptized.  Base it on how you feel or on what you think your spiritual needs are.  N O T !

We should be baptized because it identifies us with Christ and because it’s commanded for discipleship.

The title of this post could have been “McCain is a typical Baptist”.  Too many baptists in too many churches are pursuing their discipleship based on what they feel is right rather than upon what God’s Word says is right.

God help us.

A great day to be a pastor!

Not a good day to be a sports fan:

1.  Cardinals get swept in Arizona….now three games back in the mighty NL central.

2.  Chiefs kept out of the end zone in a 20-3 spanking by the powerhouse Texans.

3.  My fantasy football team lined up across from Tony Romo in week one of our league’s ‘07 campaign.

But let me tell you about God visiting us at Anna 1st Baptist Church yesterday!

1.  We had over 300 in worship attendance in our two morning worship services!

2.  We had 41 children and workers in our new children’s Sunday School and children’s church ministry called Worship KidStyle!

3.  We brought in a youth ministry candidate and his family and genuinely believe that God has supernaturally intervened to put this precious family with our church family.

4.  In just our second semester of FAITH outreach ministry 30 people enrolled to partner with our Sunday School program to go outside the walls of the church each and every Sunday evening and make contacts with church prospects and members in need.  That’s an increase from 4 witnessing teams to 10!

Praise God from Whom ALL blessings flow!

Thompson officially “in” the GOP race for The White House

Fred Thompson is running for president.  Does anyone know where he firmly stands on kingdom issues?

*Abortion

*Prayer in schools

*Traditional definition of “family”

And the other issues like…

*Immigration

*Balanced budget

*Homeland security

*Health care

Enlighten us, oh followers of things politic.