Fresh from the Garden...

Encouraging Signs

2010-01-03T21:39:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, we miss blessings God wants to give us simply because we don't know what to look for. Today, on the first Sunday of the new year, we gathered together as a congregation in one worship service, we witnessed our first baptism of 2010, celebrated the Lord's supper, and had someone come forward to join the church. Our worship attendance was 250, equal to our highest attendance of 2009.

For some, these may be small blessings. But I believe they are encouraging signs of what God has in store for the upcoming year. He's still at work in our church. He wants to do more.

Looking Ahead to 2010: The Future for GOBC

2009-12-28T07:46:00.000-08:00

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to propser you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13

That's a familiar passage to most of us. It was written by the prophet Jeremiah at one of the darkest times in Judah's history, on the verge of its conquest and captivity by the Babylonian Empire. It is a reference to the messianic hope that God had promised would come through his people. At one of the very lowest points in their history, at a time when there seemed to be no hope for the future, God leads the prophet to remind them that he is still there, and there is always hope when God's people pray, and seek him with all their heart.

Our church has been pastorless for 18 months, since June of 2008. The new year will be its 69th year of existence. In recent years, it has experienced the same circumstances that many inner city churches have experienced, both in Houston and in other places. As neighborhoods change, housing ages, new traffic patterns cause changes in the business community, and the old fabric of the neighborhood fades away, churches experience change which often brings declining attendance and new challenges. That's been the case at GOBC since it reached its numerical peak in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Most of the circumstances related to the drop off in attendance are beyond the church's control. It also causes speculation and concern about the church's future. Do we have one, beyond the dawning decade? Will we be able, with our current resources, to build, and in essence, rebuild, a church that will continue the legacy of nearly 70 years of ministry in this neighborhood? Or will we go the way of many churches which are unable to make the kind of adjustments and changes necessary in their approach to outreach, evangelism and ministry to reach a diverse and different population than the one which used to live around them, and find the next decade to be our last?

I don't believe God intends for us to cease to exist, though I think the form that we will need to develop in order to continue to move forward will be much different even than what we see today, and will incorporate even more changes in our methods of outreach, evangelism, discipleship, ministry and missions than we have seen in the past decade. Let me share a few points from Sunday's sermon which leads me to believe that God has given us the ability to keep moving forward and that our future is part of his plans.

1. A word of encouragement to those who have persevered.
"But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved." Hebrews 10:39

In the consumer culture in which we live, "church shopping" has become commonplace, particularly among conservative evangelicals. The development of the megachurch has made it possible for people to seek a church based almost completely on its smorgasbord of offerings which appeal to their perceived needs. Worship has subtly shifted to entertainment, preaching from the prophetic voice to "pop psych" feel good affirmations sprinkled with scripture. So when an older, smaller, inner city congregation loses a pastor, or experiences demographic shifts or other difficulties, people have the opportunity to simply go shopping and pick another church.

We have had a faithful core of members who seem determined to remain part of this fellowship in spite of the difficulties faced during a pastorless period, even an extended one such as we are currently experiencing. Many people simply move on during a pastoral transition because it is easier to just find another place to worship and have your needs met than it is to deal with the change. Those who have chosen to remain here in spite of the difficulties and problems than are an inevitable part of a pastoral transition are to be commended for doing so, and should be encouraged that so many others have apparently decided to do the same. On top of that, we have had some members who have seen needs and stepped up to the plate to meet them. Rather than "shrinking back," we have had some people who have chosen to believe the promise of God that remaining faithful to his call brings his favor.

2. God has prepared and called a pastor to serve our church, and we will find him.
"He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it." Titus 1:9

I do not have a prophetic word about when our pastor will be called, but I believe it will happen during 2010. Our new pastor will...

look at the church, its human, financial and physical resources, its location, and the field in which it has been called to serve and he will be excited about the potential ministry in this particular place at this particular time.
accept the salary and benefits we are offering to him, and consider it a blessing of prosperity.
have a set of spiritual gifts and abilities, and experience, which match the needs of the overseer position at GOBC, a church in a vibrant, diverse, exciting part of the city of Houston, and which he will use to equip the church for effective evangelism, discipleship and ministry in this community.
lead the church seamlessly and successfully through the inevitable, essential changes in its approach to missions and ministry in order to be an effective body of Christ which worships at 3206 N. Shepherd Dr.
sense God's calling to service here as his calling, rather than seeing our church as a launching pad to something bigger and better down the road. For our new pastor, there is no bigger or better ministry.

3. There is an open door set before this church, and walking through it faithfully requires us to pray and seek God's leadership by being faithful to his written Word and following the leadership of his Holy Spirit.

Revelation 3:7-13 describes the message of Jesus to the angel, or pastor, of the church at Philadelphia. This small congregation, surrounded by paganism and in the middle of both false religion and the "synagogue of Satan" did two things that pleased the Lord. They kept his word and did not deny his name.

Here we are, in a booming corner of the city, surrounded by people from every walk of life, multiple religious backgrounds including no religious background at all, the prosperous and the poor, the educated and the uneducated, and literally the "red, yellow, brown, black and white" of the children's song we used to sing in Sunday School, "Jesus Loves the Little Children." Is having an open door set before us such a simple matter as keeping God's word and not denying his name? I think that is exactly a matter of doing just that. The creativity and intelligence that we've been given, along with our spiritual gifts, will open our eyes to the changes we need to make, and the approaches we need to take in building relationships with people from which we can deliver the gospel message and offer opportunities for people to accept it, and live it out in their own lives. The transforming power of the message comes from the Spirit.

Is 2010 "the year of our Lord" for Garden Oaks Baptist Church?

Celebrating the Birth of Jesus

2009-12-19T20:57:00.000-08:00

It is very difficult to tell, standing in the line, waiting to pay for Christmas gifts in a department store, that there is a recession going on. Most of our Christmas shopping is now accomplished, and what remains will benefit from sale prices that will, at the beginning of next week, cut even deeper into already discounted merchandise. The mall parking lot was overflowing, people were everywhere and on this last Saturday before Christmas, a lot of buying was going on.

I often wonder what Jesus thinks of all of the holiday hustle and bustle that is done at a time of the year set aside on the Christian calendar to celebrate his birthday. Western culture has, as it usually does, found a way to capitalize on traditions that lend themselves to boosting the retail trade. The church, for the most part, immersed in its own brand of consumerism, gives very little thought to doing it any differently, right up to the presentation of extravagant musicals and presentations, and a smorgasbord of activity and entertainment designed for the purpose of celebrating the holiday, and generating some extra revenue in the process. I noticed a few Christmas pageants and programs in churches around our area this week, and into next, which will hit you up for as much as $50 a ticket.

It's hard not to just go along with it all, especially when it is so much a part of the time and place where we live. But in the past week or so, I've bumped into a couple of people in various places who must be from the same church. There is apparently one local congregation that is doing its best to set aside commercial Christmas in favor of the authentic version. In the checkout line at the grocery store, a lady behind me was talking about it on her cell phone. She and her family had made some kind of commitment to avoid engaging in consumerism, and to try and put the whole meaning of Christmas back into its Biblical, spiritual context in their family, and apparently, the church they attend had initiated this commitment. A few days later, I overheard another converstation about doing this very same thing. Not only that, but they were devoting the resources they normally would spend on Christmas to doing things for others who were desperate for help, including families whose breadwinners had been put out of work by the economic situation.

That's not such a radical idea for the church.

We have some wonderful opportunities to celebrate the birth of Christ together as a church at Christmas. Our Christmas eve service will begin at 4:00, and is a time of worship and celebration of the birth of Christ. This is what Christmas is about, so take the time to make this a priority in your schedule and focus on the reason for the season. Our sanctuary should be full for this event. The stores and the malls certainly are.

When Being "Friendly" Isn't Enough

2009-12-14T09:45:00.000-08:00

"We are a friendly church."

Most of our members would agree with this statement, and I think most of the people who visit here for the first time, or come back for another visit, would also say this. Many of them, however, do not understand why some people don't just join the church and move their membership, or keep coming back regularly after discovering this fact about our congregation.

I think the first thing we need to do is take a look at "friendly," and see if it actually fits us. We are friendly, of that there is no doubt. But would a guest, who has never been here before, actually feel that way after their first visit? When they pull on the parking lot, there is well-marked visitor parking, but often, it is full, and many times that's because members park there. Once parked, are they directed to the correct place from outside the building, and if so, how? They can probably find their way to the sanctuary, but what about your Sunday School class?

And what response to they receive after the first few minutes they arrive? If they come early, an usher will greet them at the door and lead them into a relatively empty sanctuary. This is generally the case for both services. At 8:30, a large percentage of the congregation arrives late, and the same is true at 11:00. And I have noticed that even during the meet and greet time in the early service, guests are not automatically the people that our members move to greet. We really need to develop the habit of going to the guests first, before ever thinking about saying good morning to one of the regulars. There have been mornings when I've been the first person to make my way to people visiting in the service, all the way from the front, while bumping into regular members greeting one another and paying little attention to those who are visiting.

Experts in assimilation of new members into the church tell us that guests will make a decision about a return visit in the ten minute period of time that occurs from the ending of the service until they make it to their car. The way our invitation time is structured, it is usually not possible for the pastor and staff to make it to where the visitors were seated before they exit the room. Members will have to do that. You can count on the fact that visitors in a strange new place will be anxious to leave and return to the comfort of their vehicle fairly soon after the service ends, so in order to greet them, and invite them back warmly, you have to catch them before they leave. This is why we have roped off the back third of the sanctuary. Are you the one who will move to the back to greet guests as they leave, making sure they have at least one reason to return?

Friendliness, or lack thereof, is not the only reason people choose not to return to a church they have visited. There are many things going on at one time. They may be looking for relationships, and gauging the possibility of being able to make some among the congregation that is present when they visit. They are, no doubt, bringing their own preconceptions, past experiences and present troubles through the door with them, and the way the church handles these out of sight issues, through its worship, the preaching, and the approach, will send signals that you might not even be aware are being received. A lot of people who have been beaten up and tossed out by the world come through the door of a church seeking something, though they may not be sure of what. If they perceive that the church is going to judge them further, or condemn them, they will not be back. On the other hand, if they sense that the church will help them heal, will accept them as they are and help them become what God wants them to be, and will love them unconditionally, you won't be able to keep them away.

During the past four years or so, I have encountered many people in the Garden Oaks/Heights area who have expressed an interest in spiritual things, and a desire to sit down, make a new friend, and discuss their spiritual condition. Most of them are broken people in some way, hurt and defeated by placing their trust in things that cannot save. Every time I meet someone, and I am able to find out their story, I ask myself, "Would this person be able to find the love and healing they need at our church?"

I hope the answer is always "Yes."

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas Reflections

2009-12-05T14:21:00.000-08:00

The fellowship and the turnout that was all part of the Thanks and Giving banquet a week or so ago was wonderful. We had prepared and set up for more than 300 in the gym, and almost every seat was full. Some of you brought friends and neighbors, some of you brought family, and we guessed that, altogether, about 280 people showed up. There was an amazing display of food, especially desserts, and what was left over was shared appropriately.

There wasn't a lot of turkey and dressing left, but it went downtown to the people gathered at the annual Bible reading marathon on the plaza at the Family Law Center. They fed the readers, and the homeless. Desserts were put in the refrigerator and shared with delivery personnel, messengers and the mailman as a thanksgiving appreciation here at the church on the Monday following.

The Thanks and Giving offering was a blessing, as was the fifth Sunday singing on the fourth Sunday.

Now, we're just three weeks from celebrating the birth of Jesus. Christmas is coming. The decorations are going up, the lights are appearing all around town, and we even had a touch of snow this week. But decorations, lights, trees and snow are not the essence of Christmas, any more than turkey, dressing and a big meal constitute the essence of Thanksgiving.

The world's conversation this year, or at least our part of it, is about the effects of the economic downturn on the buying season, and by what percentage retail sales will be off from normal, or improved from last season. We've heard some words of optimism, both nationally, and locally, about "black Friday," the day after Thanksgiving which is supposed to be the biggest shopping day of the year, and the improvement the airlines experienced in Thanksgiving week travelers this year. But this season isn't about any of that. Christmas will come, and the economy isn't going to have an affect on what the holiday is really about.

Culture and tradition have led us to celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25, though he was very likely not born on that date. The account of his birth, recorded in Scripture, does not tell us when. Other traditions followed, making the time into what we experience today. It's not easy to get past that into the truth.

On the other hand, as the church, it is something for us to celebrate, and we should do it with style. The world should know our savior, and this time of the year, we are presented with an unusual opportunity to tell them about it. The way we do this should recognize the fact that, rather than being critical of all of the layers of culture and tradition that have worked their way into the celebration, we should simply keep Christ first, and organize the celebration to make the point that he was a gift, given to us for our redemption. People are in a position to listen, and to hear. Seeds can be planted. And above all, the church embracing the celebration of the Birth of Jesus is the right thing to do.

Join us!

Reading List

2009-11-19T09:53:00.001-08:00

One of the great things about going to conferences is the exposure to new books that are written to help ministers improve in doing their work, or for inspiration. Let me pass on some recent or current titles I'm reading, with the suggestion that you might want to fill some of your spare time with a good book.

What Bothers Me Most About Christianity, by Ed Gungor. Don't worry. The author is a Christian. He just puts things into words that we all think about, and which help us think about the way our faith is presented. His focus is really aimed at helping young adults wrestle with some of these questions, but it was an excellent discussion for me as well. I picked it up at Seeds, the bookstore at Willow Creek Community Church.

Ten Stupid Things That Keep Churches From Growing, by Geoff Surratt. The author serves a growing church in South Carolina, so he should have some experience in this department. It's a lighthearted look at some serious things that churches really do to impede their growth, most of the time without knowing it. No, I'm not on some kind of negative reading kick this month. There are lots of positive ideas in this one. I found it in the Lifeway bookstore #1 in Nashville.

Lost and Found: The Younger Unchurched and the Churches That Reach Them, by Ed Stetzer, Richie Stanley and Jason Hayes. These are the Lifeway guys from Threads Media, and they work close to young adult ministry in the church. They share lots of research and lots of things that churches, successful in making disciples out of young adults, are doing. The research also points out a lot of misconceptions in the ministry regarding outreach to young adults. This one was on sale at the book table at the Connect Conference I attended in Nashville back in August.

You might think that these books would contain technical approaches and language for ministers that the average church member couldn't understand, but that's not the case. If you are serious about taking your ministry to the next level, and growing in your faith, helping your church move forward with you is a very important thing for you to do. If you travel, these are great for reading on the plane. If not, they make an excellent before-bed relaxer, or a get-up and get moving in the morning read.

They will challenge your pre-conceptions and move you to grow into Christian maturity. They are worth the time and the resources spent to get them and read them. Give it a try, and you might be surprised at what develops.

Thanks and Giving

2009-11-16T12:35:00.001-08:00

This coming Sunday, November 22, is our annual Thanks and Giving Banquet. This is a tradition at Garden Oaks Baptist Church, and we are expecting 300 people in attendance.

Part of the event is to commemorate and celebrate Thanksgiving as a church family. We do this around a meal in the gym. This year, the food will be laid out in the fellowship hall so that there can be plenty of room to eat and visit in the gym. Bring your favorite side dish.

The other part of the event is to give an offering of thanks back to God. This is considered to be an over-and-above the tithe offering, something you give to bless God for the blessings he has given to you. How much you give is between you and the Lord. There will be a time for doing this in both of our morning worship services on November 22, as well as at the banquet and the singing to follow.

Hope to see you here.

Learning Experiences, Part 3

2009-11-09T07:46:00.000-08:00

Change.

It is inevitable. Over the course of a lifetime, we see more of it than we could possibly imagine. Some we readily accept, while some we reject, or are at least suspicious of it.

When it happens in the church, it gets closely examined, sifted, turned, examined again, questioned and frequently resisted and rejected because we often equate changes in methods with doctrine and theology, and it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to pull the two things apart. Personal preference also makes it difficult. Change happens all around us, usually outside of our control but in the church, especially a congregational church where every member has a voice, one person can make a difference.

It is certainly not a bad thing to question change as it applies to the ministry of the local church. What we believe comes from the scripture, and we do not have the authority to change it to make it suit our own lives, though many, many people in the church do exactly that. But the way we do our work, the methods we employ related to evangelism, discipleship and missions, most definitely do change, in order to be relevant so that the message we preach and teach can be understood and accepted by people who come under the Spirit's conviction. Churches which do not change their methods in order to reach people with the gospel are churches which do not survive, or have a future. And I've heard some Christians express the thought that they would prefer to see their church die, rather than see it change, not a thought that I believe can be supported by scripture.

So, a couple of weeks ago, while in Chicago, I attended a Blue Sky conference at Willow Creek Church related to change; why it needs to happen, how it happens, and how the church can deal with it. It was the second time I've attended a conference utilizing Christian principles combining an audience of both church and business leaders, and that makes for an interesting presentation. It also helps make the presentation crystal clear with very pertinent examples.

In the church, when it comes to methods, there is a unique dynamic at work. Doctrine and theology do not change, and the text that provides the basis for these beliefs is anywhere from two thousand to thirty-five hundred years old. In addition to that, most Christians believe the church is headed by Jesus, who works through the Holy Spirit to provide leadership. So a church, seeking to do God's will and carry out its assigned purpose, must seek the face of God first before doing anything. The whole process changes from "what I'd like to see happen," or "what I would like to do," to a question, "Is this what God wants us to do?" And who decides that?

The bottom line is that churches which have a sense of the leadership and movement of the Holy Spirit are the ones which transition necessary change with success. Principles of human origin, and thinking which travel along the lines of pop culture and the "latest ideas" generally meet with limited success in the church, and fade quickly, in terms of providing spiritual growth and progress in discipleship. They may draw a crowd for a while, as many fads do, but without substance they cannot be measured as success in Biblical terms. It's a fine line, but a critical one, in determining the difference between a church which "attracts" people through its own effort, or one to which people are attracted because the Holy Spirit is at work.

I hope we are the latter.

Learning Experiences, Part 2

2009-10-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

Diversity.

Walk down any street in an inner city neighborhood, and you will experience a quick definition of this word by simply observing the people you encounter. It is especially true in a place like Chicago, where you can cross through three or four different ethnic neighborhoods in the space of a dozen blocks. But it is also true of Houston, where the boundaries of traditionally ethnic neighborhoods have blurred with the city's growth, and where, as a result of the lengthening of commuter time coming in on the freeways from the suburbs, people are redeveloping and moving back into the inner city, in neighborhoods like ours.

The inner city has become, in American Christian culture, a place where the majority of the population is unchurched. There are several theories as to why this is the case, including lifestyle differences created by either extreme poverty, extreme prosperity or by a lower percentage of "traditional" families who live in such areas. In older suburbs, where the population has aged and the children have grown up, graduated from school and moved away, churches have declined and aged. The challenge for churches in outreach is surviving, re-adjusting and re-tooling in order to orient their outreach and ministry to address changes in ethnic, economic and social demographics of community population. Many churches aren't able to do this, and do not survive, which further complicates the problem by making fewer churches available to the existing population.

There are some churches which have been able to successfully transition the demographic changes of the inner city, and not only survive, but become thriving Biblical communities of people committed to Christ and seeing disciples made. They have a few things in common:

1. They have enthusiastically embraced the challenge of mission and ministry in the environment in which they exist, and see themselves as being called to that particular place and time by God, so they are inclined to depend on the Holy Spirit for everything.

2. They realize that, while the methods they will employ in evangelism, outreach and ministry will look different than they did when the focus was different, the message of the gospel remains unchanging.

3. They have discovered that by being generous and sharing their resources, God pours out blessings on them. They have discovered that sharing their resources results in multiplication of their ministry.

4. They understand that change is necessary, and are willing to sacrifice their own preferences for the sake of the ministry of the church.

5. They utilize the power of prayer.

Is it really that simple? Yes.

Learning Experiences, Part 1

2009-10-26T14:43:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday morning, I had the privilege of attending chapel services at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. A group from Atlanta, representing a ministry called Broken Voices, made a presentation that included a couple of speakers and some video. Their ministry is described on their website, http://brokenvoices.org/, and their video material is included there.

God is at work all over the place, and it was very inspiring to hear about, and see, some of the things that Broken Voices has discovered. Currently, they are touring college campuses with their ministry. Their mission is to help young adults and college students discover their purpose in God's Kingdom, and to inspire and motivate them to do what God has called them to do. They do this mainly through finding people who have awakened to God's calling in their life, using their unique gifts and talents for ministry, and then filming their stories and testimonies to show to others. Traveling across the country in a motor home, with cameras and video equipment, they make faith movies centered on the inspiring stories of God moving in the lives of young people.

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10

One of the keys to the church's ability to reach, and retain, young adults, according to research done by Ed Stetzer at Lifeway Christian Publishers is the opportunity for them to become involved in meaningful service opportunities that allow them to express their faith in Christ by serving others. The ministry of Broken Voices is spreading the word and inspiring young people to fulfill their calling. Most of those who have a story to tell have discovered that meaningful service comes when you find a way to serve the Lord using your talents and skills. By taking something from their own life, and finding a way to use it to serve others in Jesus' name, people experience the feeling of what it means to be used by God.

Take a few minutes and watch and listen to what you find on the Broken Voices website. You will be blessed.

Sharing Some Learning Experiences

2009-10-20T04:20:00.000-07:00

This week, I'll be in Chicago. This trip was originally scheduled for attending the Group Life Conference at Willow Creek Community Church, but changes in the conference schedule due to economic realities opened up some time for me to attend a few other events. A conference for church and business leaders, called "Blue Sky," will take place at Willow Creek, a one-day leadership seminar of sorts, and I've registered for that as well. On Thursday, a ministry called "Broken Voices" will be making an appearance at Moody Bible Institute. So it will be a busy week with a lot of different things happening.

During the week, I'll journal here just a little bit, about some of the things that I've encountered which may be of benefit to the ministry of Garden Oaks Baptist Church. Part of the purpose for going to events like this is for continuing education and ongoing learning, and part of it is for the batteries to get recharged. I'll share a little bit of both this week.

Sunday Night Excitement

2009-10-12T19:36:00.000-07:00

Sunday evening, October 11, was an exciting time at Garden Oaks Baptist Church. It was exciting for several reasons. One, the smell of fajitas was drifting in the hallway. Two, those who were gathering for dinner were members of the church who, for the most part, were under forty years of age. Three, following dinner, some exciting conversation and dialogue took place as the young adults who gathered discussed the future of their church and its ministry to people who generally fall in their age group.

In their recent book Essential Church, the father-son team of Tom and Sam Rainer (Tom is the President of Lifeway Christian Resources, Sam is a discipleship minister at a church in Florida) tell us that in recent years, the church is losing young adults between 18 and 40 years of age. They report on research which shows that about 70% of those who are involved in church during their high school years drop out between age 18 and 22 due to some kind of life change, and only about half of them will return. Along with that, few people in that age category make decisions to follow Christ and become a part of a church during that span of time. Yet, a fairly high percentage of those who responded to research indicated a willingness to give consideration to spiritual matters related to the Christian faith.

The potential for effective ministry, including outreach, evangelism and discipleship, among people in this age bracket, exists. The fact that 26 people, most of them in this same age group, who are connected with Garden Oaks showed up for the purpose of discussing the church's young adult ministry potential was very exciting. The discussion itself, which involved virtually every young adult in the room at some point, was a hopeful sign that we are moving in the right direction. So is the fact that any one of those in this group could have gone somewhere else during this pastorless period, to make things easier on themselves, yet they have chosen to remain here and express optimism and confidence in the future of GOBC.

The Development Team now has a whole list of ideas and suggestions for building an active, effective ministry which will reach into the surrounding community to baptize new believers, develop them into disciples of Jesus, and build community for them in the church. The suggestions made reflected some prayerful consideration and deep thinking, along with personal experience. The experts who write the books tell us that it takes young adults to reach young adults because of shared issues and concerns, and similar patterns of thinking. If that's the case, then GOBC is well equipped to reach the young adults who live in our community.

In the coming weeks, the ideas and suggestions for specific strategies involved will be shared in the forums where they can be implemented. Several issues need to be given top billing. One is that the church, as a body, needs to be careful not to cause its members, including its young adult members, to become burned out through overwork. The need to simplify the structure of the congregation, and to give people opportunities to exercise their specific spiritual gifts, was a top concern. Creating an environment that is comfortable and friendly for those who do not understand the "church insider culture" was also a concern. Relevant Bible study that includes practical application (how it works) and an atmosphere that includes meaningful worship were also part of the discussion. To be frank, the church needs to work to avoid being perceived as irrelevant and boring. That shouldn't be difficult, considering the material we have to work with, as well as its writer.

There's the discussion. Now comes the more difficult part. Implementing anything like this involves cooperation, participation, and support. The bottom line will depend on how sincere our church is when it expresses a strong desire to reach the young adults who make up such a significant part of the population of the surrounding community. As always, it will involve setting aside our own preferences in favor of those whose needs require us to apply the Bible teaching and ministry we have received in abundance. That's how God wants to use us. That's the job we've prepared for from the moment we received God's grace and Christ's salvation. There are plenty of examples out there to show us that it can be done, and there are churches who are doing it in a setting very similar to ours. We can do it too, by following the Spirit's leadership and depending on his power.

It's showtime.

Weathering the Storm

2009-09-29T09:02:00.000-07:00

Last year at this time, we were counting days passing without power, picking up debris, talking to insurance adjusters, and getting used to living with some inconveniences, all because of the passing of a hurricane named Ike. If you look closely, you can still see evidence of the storm, though that long, dark, frightening night is now not much more than a memory and most of the damage has been repaired.

It's been about fifteen months since our church weathered another kind of storm. Being pastorless, and all of the other issues that were part of that whole period of time, was very much like a storm in many ways. There's a shift in the leadership of the church, some things become magnified and distorted, there are reactions to issues that are unexpected, of course there are people whose feelings are hurt, there is choosing of sides, and the potential for damage to the church's ministry is high.

From this distance, it appears we have weathered the storm well. And it was a pretty strong storm for a while.

In addition to some of the "issues" that came up, we faced the loss of several staff members, including our preschool/children's ministry director, youth pastor, contemporary worship service leader, and a senior secretary. The departure of the children/preschool minister also left us with a vacancy in the leadership of our Early Learning Center. But our personnel team moved quickly, search teams were formed, and all that ministry work is moving forward. We're still short a secretary, but we have some volunteers that have helped take up the slack. We had some help with the contemporary worship service leadership, and then volunteers stepped up to fill in the gap there as well.

In fact, one of the most positive points about these past fifteen months has been the willingness of church members to step up and serve. That's a clear indication that members of this church have a strong belief in its future. Sure, we've lost a few members because we are in transition between pastors. But most of the people who've left the church since June of 2008 have relocated because of job moves. But we're still welcoming visitors, some of whom have returned, and on the last Sunday in August we had 200 in Bible study and 250 in worship. Finances are holding up, as expenses have been lower than anticipated, and giving has been good. The ELC is, once again, near capacity enrollment, and 200 parents and preschoolers were on our campus just this past Wednesday enjoying a meal and an open house.

If you're reading this, and you are one of our church members, you know that a lot has been asked of you in these months. You could go to a church that already has a pastor, or to one where you wouldn't be asked to do double duty. The fact that you are here is a testimony to your commitment to this body, and that you believe you've been called by God to be here. That's encouraging. You think there is a future here, too. You're excited about it, too.

The storm may not yet be over. In fact, the scripture tells us that the enemy prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. In this business, we must always be on guard. We must continue to be the church God calls us to be, and continue to rely on his Spirit and his Word for leadership, and for protection. We must always have a vision that lines up with God's will. We must continue to love each other, and lift each other up in prayer and encouragement. We must continue to minister with compassion and grace, understanding that we are all sinners saved by grace through faith in Christ, still passing through this fallen world. Above all, we need to live the gospel so that others want to know the reason for the hope that we have. There are people everywhere around us who need to see that.

We are blessed.

The Purpose of the Church and the Traditions of Men

2009-09-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

"You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." Mark 7:8, NIV

"Thus you nullify the the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that." Mark 7:13

In their context, these words come from Jesus addressing the Pharisees who had just criticized some of Jesus' followers for not following a particular tradition of the law by ceremonial washing of their hands before eating. The disciples didn't have dirty hands, from a sanitary perspective. They simply hadn't gone through the ceremonial hand washing that was part of the Jewish ritual to signify that they weren't "tainted" because they had come into physical contact with something that wasn't, for lack of a better word, kosher to touch.

The general message here is that the Christian faith is not one in which you can be spiritually cleaned or purified simply by doing something symbolic to erase what makes you "unclean." In fact, thinking that you have been spiritually cleansed by some outward act, such as handwashing in the case of the Pharisees, or perhaps even baptism in the case of Christians, may be an obstacle to true purification and cleansing. Jesus was pretty clear when he said that it is not what goes into a person which makes them unclean, but what comes out.

When I first became a student at Grand Canyon University many years ago, there were some things on that Baptist college campus that I had to get used to, coming from a public school environment. One was the novelty of having the professor lead the class in prayer before each meeting. Another was the ritual of praying before meals in the cafeteria. Generally, it was an accepted practice for students to sit down with their tray, bow their heads, close their eyes for a few seconds, and then commence eating. Essentially, long before I had arrived there, this behavior had become a way for some people to make a determination about the spirituality of others. One day, I determined that I wouldn't bow or close my eyes, but that I would simply pray in my mind prior to being seated, and avoid the tradition, just to see what happened. Sure enough, after a couple of days of doing this, a fellow student asked me if there was anything wrong in my spiritual life, since he had noticed I no longer prayed before I ate. My response was something like "How do you know I am not praying?" The lecture I got following that question, a long, self-justifying speech complete with prooftexts for why, as a "good" Christian I should set an example for others by bowing my head and closing my eyes(neither of which are mentioned as postures for prayer in the New Testament) while I was praying in the cafeteria convinced me to do one thing. From that moment on, I resolved not to bow my head or close my eyes at the table in the cafeteria. For me, prayer is to happen "in my closet," in whatever context that implies related to the situation I am in at the time.

The church, the local body of believers in Christ, has many traditions which have become part of its ritual and practice, but which are not really part of its purpose. Though it should be led by the Spirit, it is still a human institution, subject to the same influences to which all flesh is subject. Frank Viola and George Barna have a great book out on the subject called Pagan Christianity, which explores the roots of many of the practices that the church, as a whole, universal body, considers essential to the practice of faith, but which are not found in scripture. I've learned, from many years of experience in vocational ministry, that people tend to do what they want to do with regard to the practice of their faith, and they are more than willing to impose their perspectives and traditions on the church, in spite of whether or not they are scriptural, if they have the influence or the power to do so. When that happens in a church, and it happens in all of them at some point, then it ceases to follow the leadership of the Spirit, and it is following the traditions of humanity.

At Garden Oaks, people are involved in a conscious, genuine effort to move forward. There has been a genuine, heartfelt movement to do so, and it is happening as we speak. But we must be careful to make certain that everything we do is at the prompting and leadership of the Holy Spirit, and not as a result of our own preferences or traditions. This will include changing the way we do some things, even things that may have worked at some point in the past, not as a result of someone's initiative, but under the leading of the Spirit, by consensus.

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up, according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than youselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but to the interests of others." Philippians 2:3-4 NIV

"Do everything without complaining or arguing," Philippians 2:14

Garden Oaks Baptist Church must look forward and follow the Spirit into the future. We cannot be bound by tradition or hobbled by our own preferences.

Reaching Young Adults: What Will it Take?

2009-09-08T13:52:00.000-07:00

The Rationale For Change
We live in a culture, and attend church in a culture, which has taught us that the most important things are those which we get out of the experience, and what we take away from it. That's almost completely contrary to what the scripture teaches about the church. What matters most is what God gets from us. And for us, serving others is the way we live out the faith we have in Christ.

We've operated our adult Bible study in recent years based almost exclusively on preference. We've pretty much allowed people to choose a class and a teacher based on their perceived needs, and on their social connections. Up to a point, that worked for us with regard to assimilation of new members, and perhaps even a little bit with regard to outreach. But we are now at a point where the direction of what we do on Sunday morning needs to take a turn and move in a different direction.

This change is based on current research, knowledge of the demographics of the growing community in which our church exists, and expert advice regarding successful methods and strategies for reaching the kind of population that lives in our church field. From our Summer Leadership Seminar, we determined that efforts related to both evangelism and discipleship must be intentional. Looking at our adult ministries in particular, it became clear that reaching young adults, people who are 18 years of age up to 40, needs to be the focus of intentional ministry at Garden Oaks.

Young adults exist in abundance in our field, yet most of them are not involved in church anywhere. Research tells us that they are leaving the institutional church for a variety of reasons, but that they have an intense interest in spiritual matters. As many as 65% of them, according to one recent Lifeway Research study, responded that they would be willing to attend a church which would meet them where they are in their life now, teach them the deep truths of scripture, provide opportunities for meaningful service, and engage them in celebrative worship.

Setting Aside Personal Preferences
There, then, is our challenge. The time has come for us to make the necessary turn in our discipleship ministries in order to be equipped for making disciples and building community for them in order to assimilate them into the local church. An intentional effort to do this will be required, and this will involve asking those in our church involved in adult discipleship to set their own preferences aside, and help prepare the church to provide for the spiritual needs of others.

As we begin this intentional effort, our Bible study on Sunday morning needs to shift in order to accomodate young adults and meet them where they are. This will require adult departments and groups that are age graded rather than chosen by content, teacher, or social grouping. Our current group of 18-40 year olds, who will, by necessity, be at the forefront of this effort, will need to become a group, a Biblical community which studies the Bible together, fellowships and builds relationships into community, and disciples each other in the deep truths of the Bible. That's one major change.

The other involves the content of the Bible study. Our adult leadership has done a great job preparing expository or thematic lessons to present each week. For young adults, these must be a curriculum specifically geared to their spiritual needs, exploring the depths of scripture and presenting them in an understandable and applicable way. We will need to look at some available curriculum materials designed specifically for the needs and life situations of young adults, which can be promoted in an outreach that creates interest and hunger for its Biblical content.

The Strategy
Creating one department on Sunday morning, and perhaps as many as two home groups, aimed at young adults will involve moving people around from one place to another, and displacing some people who may be comfortable where they are. But as the stronger believers, those who will be asked to move, or be displaced need to consider that what they are doing, they are doing for the "weaker brother," to make a comfortable place for someone who would not currently find a place or feel a welcome in the body as it now exists.

One of the things we do not want to do is to discover that, once re-arranged, there is still no room for the unchurched to find a place. The whole idea of making these changes is to be flexible, and to understand what it takes to make disciples and assimilate them into Biblical community. It is not as easy as the simplicity of reorganizing. It takes the work of building relationships of trust, and for many young adults, overcoming obstacles that loomed large in their transition from childhood to adulthood which separated them from their church in the first place. That sounds like walking on eggshells, and that's exactly what it is like. But we can make this part of our DNA by continuing to realize,

"This is not about me."

The Personal Sacrifice
As we learned in the Summer Leadership Seminar, intentional action is the exact opposite of simply maintaining the status quo and expecting results. If it is to be, it is up to me. That's a statement that holds true here. When people get involved in new relationships, it carries them out of their comfort zone, especially if those with whom they are involved have not been trained in the unwritten social ettiquette and behavior system that is expected in the church and among the churched. Relationships are hard, they are sometimes messy, and they are usually difficult to maintain unless effort is made.

We are asking people, for the sake of the church's ministry, and for its future, to go outside their comfort zone and do something different. That is a personal sacrifice, especially in a voluntary situation. It also happens to be what God expects of his children, no less. It's the point at which revival happens.

Being cooperative with the changes that need to be put in place is the very least you can do. Being willing to see the changes as an opportunity for you to invest in relationships outside the Kingdom for the sake of winning people into the Kingdom is the goal. The future of the church depends on it.

Building on "Round Up Sunday"

2009-08-31T13:36:00.000-07:00

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:25, NIV

We chose a Sunday that we believed would be a good one to gather our families back together and set some goals for a "round up Sunday" attendance emphasis. Our goal was to have 200 present for Bible study, and 250 present for worship. Even with a few people unable to be here, we managed to make both goals. We had 215 for Bible study and looking back in the records, that will be the largest attendance of this year so far with the exception of Easter Sunday. And we just did make the 250 mark in worship. Well, we had 249, and so we counted the police officer who comes to do security patrol for us, so that helped to round it up. And we probably missed one or two here and there, so we can say 250 people were in worship with us, in one service, Sunday morning.

As a side note, there were 25 children in Children's worship, and 15 preschoolers, toddlers and nursery babies here yesterday, and altogether, one fourth of those present were under 18.

We don't do something like this merely to pat ourselves on the back and feel like we've accomplished something. There are several reasons why we placed an emphasis on raising our attendance numbers and making people aware of what they are.

Encouragement
Our church has now been pastorless for over a year, and during that time, people have a tendency to drift. We've had several members pass away, and several of our families, including some involved in key leadership positions, have moved away recently. The combination of all of those factors can be discouraging to those who are attempting to remain faithful to the church and continue serving and supporting it. You miss them and you notice the empty spaces. So a little bit of an emphasis which encourages people to get back in touch with people helps build a few relationships, and makes people feel they are being used in the kingdom work at the church, and the results will hopefully encourage people to continue this ministry and these relationships. Several members and regular guests who haven't been here for a while returned on Sunday and that, too, is encouraging.

Reaching the goals may also help to create a spiritual sense that God isn't finished with GOBC and he still has a work to do here. It would have been so easy for many people to just consider this another "gimmick" and leave it at that, but obviously many people took the challenge seriously, and made a move into the lives of other people, especially considering that there were people visiting here who are not regulars or members. Be encouraged, then, by these results. This is August. Let's build on this through the remainder of this year, and see where that leaves us by Christmas.

Fellowship and Community
People come to church to experience the presence of God. We hope that's what they find every time they come to GOBC. Research shows us that over 80% of adults who are not part of a church would consider the claims of Christianity if someone presented them in a clear, understandable way, and many of them would respond positively to a personal invitation to accompany a friend to church. Reaching across the aisles and singing "There's a Sweet, Sweet Spirit in this Place" isn't just a nice way to end a service, it sends a message that this is a congregation that wants to give itself away, in a meaningful way, to other people. If you're looking for Christian community, you'll find it here.

Outreach
We exist in a community which has seen large numbers of new residents move in over the past couple of decades. Many of them simply do not know about the Christian community that exists as Garden Oaks Baptist Church, or what happens here, though they may see the building. They aren't going to take the initiative to come, for a variety of reasons. Events such as this open opportunities to reach people who have come to our part of the city in recent years, and allow them to find a comfortable way to find out about the Christian faith, and about how it is presented here.

It also gives us a handle on the kind of people who have moved in around us, in order that we might be able to "speak their cultural language" so to speak, and translate the principles of the scripture into that language in order to gain both a hearing for and an understanding of the gospel message of Jesus. Surprise! People are willing to listen, and they are even willing to give you a hearing.

Move Forward
I think yesterday's events were very important with regard to some specific messages which we can receive and call blessings. Our church is still viable, and there are plenty of people who want to be part of this body of believers in order to fulfill their spiritual calling and advance the gospel message. We can, as a body, put together prayer and the movement of our feet, so to speak, and see the results of viable ministry. There is excitement and enthisuasm among our people about our particular body of believers, and there is ownership of the ministry, under submission to God's Spirit.

Can you see a vision for the future? I can. Do you want to be part of it? As a body, let's pray for God's will and for God's direction, and follow the lead of the Spirit. Yesterday was just a taste of what God wants to do with us and through us. Let's ask for more, and receive what we are given.

Helping Our Church Connect With Young Adults

2009-08-24T20:23:00.000-07:00

One of the action plans emerging from our summer leadership seminar is a plan for reaching young adults. In different settings, that means different things, but basically, "young adults" are those between 18 and 40 years of age, including college students, singles and young married couples. It's an aim that makes sense for our church for several reasons. One, there are large numbers of people who fall into that age range living in the neighborhoods we consider to be our field. Two, the percentage of unchurched in this age demographic is high all across North America, and in our church, they represent the smallest number of adults. Three, according to research, they are not as hard to reach as we might think, especially when the church is willing to be the church, preach and teach the truth of the word, and find meaningful service opportunities for adults in those age brackets.

Many of the basic structures that are necessary for reaching young adults, things which help build community, expressive worship and ministries which meet their needs, are already in place at GOBC. We have home fellowship groups for community building, a contemporary worship service, ministries which are involved in evangelism and discipleship of preschoolers and children, and a five day a week Early Learning Center with 90 families involved. Our plan must include ways to tie all of these things together and become aggressive in our outreach.

The prospects for such a ministry are encouraging. According to the authors of both Essential Church, and Comeback Churches, Thom and Sam Rainer and Ed Stetzer, a significant number of young adults are willing to consider the gospel of Jesus Christ if it is presented to them in an understandable and meaningful way. Our job involves making new disciples, teaching them, building community for them and giving them meaningful ways to express their faith through service.

Contrary to popular belief, if the church wants to reach young adults, it needs to be the church, rather than fall prey to the consumer idea that the church must resort to accomodation and appeasement in order to get young adults involved. The latter model may attract people who are already believers from other churches, but it doesn't provide any kind of foundation on which to do kingdom building. If we are willing to teach the truth of God's word, and then disciple those who are willing to follow it, we will get a response from people.

We will start by getting our young adults together for a time of fellowship and a meal. From there, we will formulate a plan for moving forward. If you are a young adult between the ages of 18 and 40 and you are already a part of GOBC, please give careful, prayerful consideration to a serious level of involvement in this ministry.

The Wrapup: Summer Leadership Seminar

2009-08-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

Sunday at 5:00 will be our last Summer Leadership Seminar gathering. We've looked at principles related to winning lost people to Christ, making disciples and building community for them. We examined principles from Essential Church by Thom and Sam Rainer, during the June session, and principles from Comeback Churches by Ed Stetzer at the August sessions. Ironically, I met all three men at the Connect Conference at Lifeway in Nashville this week, and so, in our wrapup, I will be able to include some finishing touches as a result of the conference material, and my conversation, particularly with Sam Rainer.

The timing of the conference couldn't have been better. I was registered to attend the event in Washington, D.C. in September, but it was cancelled due to low registration numbers, so I wound up getting in to the Nashville meeting at the last minute. That was helpful to allow fine tuning for the last session of the seminar, and will factor into the solutions that will be offered. I hope you'll take the time to be there this week, in the Library, at 5:00.

You know, there's no real "secret" to reaching people, helping them become disciples of Christ, and building community for them in the local church. It's in the Bible. We need to simplify, rather than complicate, the issue. It's a matter of the elements of letting the Holy Spirit do the leading, and the scripture setting the standards, and the church being the body of Christ that is described in the scripture. So, you can sort of guess what the conclusion will be. Of course, there are some things that are unique and specific to our situation, but our plan of action is simple, and some of its components are already in place in our congregation.

Hope to see you Sunday evening.

The Interim Agenda Team

2009-08-03T13:44:00.000-07:00

Tonight, the Development Team will begin the process of naming individuals to serve on the church's Interim Agenda Team. The purpose of this team is to work toward congregational unity in resolving underlying issues in the church in order to clear a path for the new pastor, when he is found and named, to be able to hit the ground running when he gets here. It would be good for him to have a productive ministry, and not to have to deal with things that have been lying around unresolved for a while. We want to put him in the Biblical role of the church's overseer, its episkopos, bishop, rather than to have him be a fireman, putting out fires.

This is a temporary position of service, and we are hoping that most of those who are originally asked to serve will do so. The desired outcome is to begin meeting by September, in order to be an asset to the pastor search team. A lot of the team's work could be accomplished in a weekend retreat, if that fits into everyone's schedule.

If you are asked, please consider serving. It means that others have recognized your talents and spiritual gifts. Use them. Help out Christ's church here at Garden Oaks.

The McCullough and Wheeler Scholarship Funds

2009-07-23T07:51:00.000-07:00

From the discussion related to the church's two scholarship funds at last night's business meeting, it seems a few clarifications are in order.

These scholarships are endowed, which means that the individuals who contributed the original funds to set up the accounts did so for a specific intention, and with specific instructions as to how they are to be used. The two issues that seemed to center around their use involve whether or not additional contributions can be accepted, and how the money is to be distributed.

The original purpose of the contributors, and the church's acceptance of the funds, centers on financial assistance for students who are pursuing careers in ministry-related vocations. Specifically, that means taking a course of study to prepare for serving as a pastor, church ministerial staff member, missionary, church planter, or other vocation in which the salary is paid by a church or church-related organization, and in which the individual expresses a sense of calling.

Students who feel called to pursue a ministry vocation must attend a private, Christian-related college to get their necessary education in preparation for ministry. State universities do not offer ministry-related courses of study, or the courses in Biblical foundations that churches and church-related agencies require in order to be employed. Therefore, every dollar needed to pay for this education must come from a private source.

Students who attend the public universities funded by the state receive a taxpayer funded subsidy for their education. It is an equal amount of money for each student in the state's system. Comparatively, students in private, Christian universities must find a way to pay for college costs that generally run from 50 to 70% higher than those in state supported schools. Since churches, and other Christians, are the only source of these funds, church-related scholarship money such as we have available in the Wheeler and McCullough scholarship funds help to "equalize" the cost for students pursuing ministry related careers.

If the purpose of these scholarship funds is clear, and remains true to the original wishes of those who gave the money in the first place, the potential for individuals having their feelings hurt because they were denied a scholarship is lessened. Of course, there is nothing that pleases the devil more than for church members to fight about money. Not all of our youth pursue ministry-related careers. Those who are in other fields, say, business for example, have access to scholarship money from a wide variety of sources in the business world. Students pursuing an education in veterenary medicine have access to funds from sources in that field. It is good for the church to provide money for students preparing for a ministry vocation, and to do so is not unfair to the youth from that church who are not pursuing that particular career field.

The second issue relates to contributions from other individuals made into the disbursement accounts of the funds. The problems that arise from that are many. First of all, the contributor must understand the restrictions that apply to the fund. Even though they give money, they must understand that it will have to be disbursed according to the wishes of the original contributor, and not according to their wishes. Second, the point was made, and well taken, that the existing scholarship funds have always provided adequate income for the qualified recipients and that additional contributions to them would only put money into designated accounts that simply sits there and does nothing, while the church may have other financial needs.

Obviously, there are times when individuals make exceptions to policies regarding the distribution of these kinds of funds, especially after the original contributors are gone, which may sidestep the original intent. Then, it becomes diffucult to put things back as they were because everyone feels entitled to the same exception, and the result is hurt feelings. Our stewardship team is simply trying to correct some past errors with regard to these scholarships, and restore the original guidelines.

Random Happenings

2009-07-20T13:16:00.000-07:00

Boomerang Express
That's the theme for Vacation Bible School this year. The music was definitely a hit and I must say, I really like to use literature produced by Lifeway, because the mission studies relate to the work that our church financially supports. The mission videos are excellent, the Bible studies were great! Lifeway, I think this one it a hit!

We had a great crowd today, the result of word of mouth, pre-enrolment, the two week notice on the church sign, and 1,300 post cards mailed out a week ago. Full color post cards, I might add. I don't know how many workers we had, but I did notice that when the Kindergarden/First Grade group was in the craft room, everyone's hands were full. I don't know if we got a final tally, but I think we had 140 kids, including the class for preschool children of workers, for which we had to find a cool spot.

We are looking forward to what tomorrow will bring.

Home Fellowship Groups

Our home groups are doing different stuff this summer. Some are meeting monthly, some here and there, but we are hoping for a good fall. Currently, we have six groups meeting, but we would like to expand that to seven or eight by the fall. On the drawing board is a group for the parents of adopted children, something that several families in the church have in common, maybe you? If you are interested, you can let us know in the church office.

Business Meeting Wednesday, July 22

We need a quorum. Several things are coming up that need attention, including an interim agenda team, which will be led by our interim pastor, Dr. Bob Overton. This team will help address some things around the church, and do some "tidying up" with regard to making preparations for the arrival of a new pastor when that decision is made.

Make plans to be at the business meeting. The dinner menu includes sliced beef brisket or sausage, or a loaded baked potato.

Summer Activities Move Along

2009-07-13T12:46:00.000-07:00

Fifteen youth returned from Pineywoods Baptist Encampment about three weeks ago after a great experience at youth camp. Included among those who attended were prospective new youth group members. The photos are on the main hallway bulletin board.

A total of 16 GOBC members participated in World Changers 2009 in St. Francois County, Missouri. GOBC participants helped roof 10 houses, put siding on 5, do major paint and repair work on 5, construct a handrail and porch step for a mobile home, and build a wheelchair ramp for another. The participants worked in Bonne Terre, Desloge, Park Hills, Potosi, Bismarck, Irondale, Leadwood and Farmington. A total of 296 participants from 15 churches in 10 states participated, including Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Texas. Including GOBC, the Texas churches were First Baptist Church of Marshall, and First Korean Baptist Church of Lewisville. Four professions of faith, including one from the GOBC group, were made during the week, and the gospel message was presented 188 times. More than $2,000 was raised for the missions offering, which will go to student ministry in Canada.

Pre-registration has begun for VBS and all indications are that this might be one of our largest in recent years. Following the theme of the Boomerang Express, workers are getting ready for the arrival of the kids.

The Summer Leadership Seminar will continue on Sunday, August 9 at 5:00 in the Library. Don't let the term "leadership" keep you away, we are discussing issues that all church members should be informed about. If you are in a home group, a Bible study class, or you volunteer in any way, this is for you.

Summer Leadership Seminar

2009-06-22T21:49:00.000-07:00

Even if you missed the first two sessions, you need to be here Sunday afternoon at 5:00 for the session this week. We will be looking at how to become an "essential church," and tying up the loose ends related to the things we have been looking at. The session includes the research information, a Bible study with instructions to the church related to the issues we are discussing, and a time to gather in small groups and discuss applications of these issues related to our church.

We've had about 15 people each week, though a few of the faces have changed. We are looking forward to seeing you this week. Whether you participate in church leadership or not, you are welcome.

A Summer Full of Missions

2009-06-19T09:13:00.001-07:00

Several of our college students are involved in missions and ministry activities this summer. They need your prayers.

Josh Hill, who is a student at Jacksonville College, is serving in New York City this summer with the North American Mission Board. We have been receiving word from Josh about his work, and will post a page on the website so you can read about what he is doing.

Lisa Rivera, a student at Houston Baptist University, is on the Rec Team, and is in the Hill Country conducting children's and youth camps.

Jacob and Jennifer Millard, also students at HBU, are doing an internship at First Baptist Church in Willis, Texas.

In addition to that, there are several other mission activities taking place at GOBC this summer.

Partners in Faith recently completed a project collecting and delivering food and clothing to My Brother's Keeper, a mission ministry in the Alief area which provides assistance to families in need, including food and clothing distribution, but also assistance finding a job, housing, and counseling. Families seeking help through My Brother's Keeper are also given a presentation of the gospel to help their spiritual needs.

World Changers will begin July 4th. Eleven participants from GOBC will travel to Missouri's Mineral Area to help minister to 24 families who have specific needs related to their homes. Neighbors will also receive the benefit of having a crew of students and adults in their community sharing their faith by helping families in need. The GOBC group will join with participants from two other churches in Texas as well as from Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Oklahoma and Indiana.

Woodridge Baptist Church from Kingwood will be bringing their junior high youth for an inner city mission project in our area July 6-10. They camp out in our church for the week and use it for their mission headquarters.

Goodbye, Doc

2009-06-04T21:38:00.000-07:00

Sometime early this morning, after more than 100 years of life in this world, the Lord called Doc Scarborough home.

Doc was in his Sunday School class just two Sundays ago. He was there as often as his health would permit, which was almost every Sunday morning. His presence in the class always brought an added bonus, as his personal care assistant would accompany him and sit in class with him.

Two years ago, a group of church members met a few days before Christmas, divided up a list of our older adults, many of them homebound, and then went out caroling. I had just been teaching the Fellowship Class for a couple of months then, and Doc was on the list for the group I happened to be driving. We pulled up to the door, and he warmly responded to our carols. It was dark, and so he couldn't really see who we were and asked what church we were from. He brightened up when we told him we were from Garden Oaks, his own church, and then he recognized my voice. He told me that he had heard I was a really good teacher, and then apologized for sleeping through most of my lessons.

"After all," he said, "I'm almost a hundred years old."

Last August, he celebrated his 100th birthday in the fellowship hall of the church. Imagine how much he had seen in his lifetime. Of course, there is no sense of time in heaven, but perhaps those of his family who had gone on before had sensed that it was taking a little bit more time than usual for their loved one to arrive. Today, he came home.