Busy Weekend/Called to Travel

What a great weekend! Thursday and Friday morning we led worship for a small mission conference of about 30 missionaries from all around the world who are currently on furlough. We gathered at Parkwood Baptist Church in Gastonia. It was awesome to hear their stories and to share in some prayer time and fellowship together. Our friends Scott and Stefanie Spruill came with us to help lead. Scott is the worship pastor at Crosspoint Church, and is becoming a great friend and mentor. We always have a blast with them.


Sunday we led worship for the first time at Forest Pointe Church in Belmont, NC. Pastor Ray Hardee and I met just about three weeks ago for lunch, and I immediately knew that there was something special about him and that God had indeed allowed our paths to cross for a reason. Forest Point is a fairly new church in the Belmont/Mt. Holly area of NC and they currently meet at the YMCA in Belmont where they go through the rigorous routine of setting up and tearing down every week. They transform the gym of the YMCA into a worship center in about 1 hour on Saturday night with the help of several dozen volunteers. They've got a great thing going on. People are being saved, baptized and discipled. Tasha and I had a great time with them yesterday. They made us feel right at home, they took great care of our kids with a first-class children's ministry and they graciously entrusted me with their people, allowing me the freedom to lead as God so directed me. Thanks so much, Forest Pointe.

We played:
1. Revolutionary Love (David Crowder)
2. Filled With Your Glory (Starfield)
3. Inside My Praises (Jason Waller/Jason Hoard/Chrystina Fincher)
4. All Because of Jesus (Steve Fee)

More than once I was asked if I was interviewing for the worship pastor position at Forest Pointe, (and more than once in any given week I am asked if I would consider a position at fill-in-the-blank church) and I was pleased to be able to say with confidence that at this point in our lives, God has called us to intinerant ministry. I am convinced of that, and I'm proud of that. The Lord has been so good to us during this phase of life. The kids travel well and they seem to love it. My wife loves it. She believes in it. And the Lord has given us a passion for His church, as a whole -- to see His body unified in America and all over the world. So, I'm encouraged when I visit churches like Forest Pointe, and Ridge, and Southbrook, and New Sandy Creek, and Weddington Community, and Journey, and ... the list goes on. I'm excited because I see God doing a mighty work all across this nation. As dark and as oppressive as it can be at times, there are remnants of His people and examples of His grace all around us.