An Easy Time Of The Year

Let me ask you a very basic question....

Do you have friends, co-workers or neighbors that do not attend any church on a regular basis? Do you know if they have given their life to Christ and are Christians?

If you do have people in your life like that, then you have a great chance to make a huge eternal difference in their lives this Christmas season. Statistics show that unchurched and non-Christian people are more willing to attend a church service during this time of the year. In America, the Christmas story of Jesus and His birth is accepted and celebrated in our Christmas cartoons, movies and discussions about the event we celebrate.

We have creatively designed our Christmas series to be one that is a wonderful blessing and declaration of our faith as Christians. The worship, decorations and teaching is directly centered of course around the story and meaning of Christmas so that as Christians we can enjoy this special time of the year. However, the series has also been specially designed to be a source of help and spiritual encouragement to all people who may be struggling during this time of the year in different aspects of their life. This would be especially true for the people you know who do not attend church anywhere.

For many, December is a month of loneliness, depressive feelings, financial unrest and even family/marriage struggles. These people, like all of us, have internal Christmas wishes that they wish would come true during this time of year.

Let's all plan to reach out and invite someone to join us at CSF on Sunday's during the Christmas Season! The name of our series is "My Grown-up Christmas list!"

Remember we have three identical services to choose from: 9, 10:30 and 12.

The message is simple but so life changing:

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Decide today who it is that you need to share this life changing message with and be sure to invite them!

Let's decide not to complain

My family and I watched the "old-school" cartoon classic...The Grinch That Stole Christmas last night on ABC. During the cartoon, ABC kept running the advertisement for their 25 days of Christmas TV schedule. Every night they will show the classic Christmas cartoons mixed in with a few of the newer ones from the last 15 or so years. Last year this was one of the fun family things we did in the evenings as the days rolled by in December. Mixed in with a few parties and dinners, each night in December is filled with a bunch of festive FUN! Speaking of Christmas parties and good times...let me get something off my chest that frustrates me every year! Maybe, we can stop it around CSF...before it starts.

Every Christmas Season I hear one of the most frustrating grumblings from people that quite frankly turns my stomach. Since December and all the festivities is only one day away, I wanted to remind us all that we live in a great country that is full of abundance that affords us the privilege to have a good time with family and friends almost all month long. Every year, I hear people complaining about "all the parties and dinners they have to go to!" People will say something like.."Do you know I have a party every Friday and Saturday night in December?" Or they complain..."I am so busy with having to go to the mall, make cookies and then still find time to attend four special Christmas parties."

Do we realize that we are the only country that would ever complain about "having to go to parties with family and friends!" Think about it...what would people who are less fortunate in our country or those in other poorer countries say if they actually heard us complaining about "all the parties and shopping we have to do!"

Think about it....we are complaining about the abundance of food and fun we are privileged to partake of every December. Now, I can hear some of you saying...but it is that we are "out almost every night and it just gets tiring." Really? That is the reason for the seasonal complaining that we do every year?

Here is solution for that challenge: Say no! If you don't want to go to 5 Christmas parties in 2 weeks....say no to a few. However, please don't get caught in the suburban crying of having to eat too much, party too much, spend time having fun with family and friends too much! We come across as thankless spoiled brats.

Is Christmas over commercialized? Sure....

Has Christmas turned into a month long time of hustle and bustle? For some...

However, you are the controller of your party calendar and what you allow Christmas to be in YOUR home and life. No one forces us to start shopping the day after Christmas, no one forces you to attend "all those parties" and no one makes you miss the meaning behind Christmas. We choose to make Christmas and the month long extravaganza what we want it to be for our family. Personally, I love all the parties and dinners with friends. If you don't.....don't go. If you do make all the plans..please, let's don't complain about it.

Okay...I am done!

Looking Like Christmas

Are you in the Christmas mood yet? I am getting there.....

We have our tree up...just not decorated. We have our wreaths out...just not up.

About half of my neighbors have their lights and decorations up, so I still have time to keep up. However, my guess is that by Sunday night everyone will have their stuff up and the full sparkle of the season will be in full bloom. With any luck I too will be done by Sunday night. I really do love the sights, sounds and feel of the decorations that go up every year. For one month our whole city/community seems to match and have a similar look and feel to it.

If you are lagging behind in Christmas cheer and holiday mood, then you need to be here Sunday morning. Our stage design team has done a "magical" and incredibly beautiful job with the stage this year. If you are feeling "Scrooged" on Sunday, then the sight of the stage and cafe area will cheer you up. The incredible arrangement of Christmas music will inspire you and I believe this weeks message will enlighten you.

This week we start a very unique but timely Christmas message series called:

My Grown-up Christmas List:

** December 2nd Get Over Christmas Past
** December 9th Enjoy Christmas Present
** December 16th Prepare For Christmas Future

December 23/24th Follow That Star...A Special Christmas Service
We will have 5 identical services: Sunday at 9, 10:30 & 12; Monday night at 5 & 6:30.

Invite as many people as you can for this life changing Special Christmas series!

WVA Jackets needed!

No no no.....we are not in need of West Virgina Mountaineer jackets....

As many of you know, we are supporting our former youth pastor and his wife in their new ministry located in a poverty stricken area of West Virgina. They have asked us to collect as many good-used-jackets, hats, gloves, boots, etc. as possible. The winters are cold in the WVA mountains and many kids and adults cannot afford to have warm clothing. Any style, size and color will be accepted. However, please make sure it is not so old and worn out that it is not useful or respectful.

This Friday (11/30), A volunteer from CSF, Jerry Christopher, will be traveling to West Virginia in order to bring what we have collected to Kevin and Emily and the mission they are working for now. Please bring anything you are giving away to the CSF office between now and Friday morning, no later than 9am. Jerry and his family will be making the trip on Friday and will ensure that these items go directly to these needy families.

This is another way in which CSF EXPANDS its impact that goes beyond our local community. Thanks in advance for pitching in!

Read in 2 Corinthians about why God gives us so many blessings....so we can give to others!


2 Corinthians 9:10-11 "Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase YOUR store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of YOUR righteousness. YOU will be made rich in every way so that YOU can be GENEROUS on every occasion, and through us YOUR GENEROSITY will result in thanksgiving to God!"


PS...We had a wonderful Christmas decorations team here last night making our Porch Cafe and Fellowship breeze-way area look great for the Christmas Season. Our building is always beautiful on the inside and out....but during this time of the year our creatively designed building looks fabulous! Great job decoration team!

Year End Gift 07

Every year as a Fellowship we use the month of December to give a special offering that we call our Year End Gift. Our Year-End-Gift gives us a real and practical opportunity to focus on what is most important and to then give sacrificially at a time when so many are concerned about what they are receiving.

Each year we present to you needs we have as a Fellowship or the needs of others that we would like to help meet that are not covered by our normal operating general budget. These needs are not budgeted and would go unmet if not for the Year End Gift.

We have documented this year's needs in a letter that was sent to our entire Fellowship. Will you begin to pray about what God may be leading you to give as a gift? The financial gift you give is over and above what you normally give and is given before the end of the year. All gifts...Cash, stock, "gifts in kind" that are designated Year End Gift will go directly to this annual gift and will be tax deductible for 2007.

We truly believe that if every person and family will pray and then give something to this special gift, then we will hit our stated goal of $57,000. It will take everyone giving something.....but that is what defines a Fellowship. Everyone coming together as a team to do more as a group than we could ever do alone.

The purpose of the Year End Gift is for you to pray and then give a GIFT back to God that expresses your thankfulness for his blessings to you and your family. Giving over and above during this time of year can be challenging as we feel like we need to save up for ourselves and our family. The Year End Gift is designed to help you keep your financial priorities in line with God's will for your life.

Thanks in advance for your prayers and gifts!

2 Corinthians 9:7-8 "Each person (family) should give what they have decided in their heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. God is able to make all Grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

This Christmas Season at CSF is going to be Awesome!

On Vacation

I will be out of town Monday - Friday this week. I don't go on-line, check email or do anything on computers while at my parents house in the beautiful West Virgina Mountains! So.....no BLOGS this week.

I will be back next Monday, November 26th!

What a week!

What do these people have in common?

Robert Blanton: High School Senior at Butler High School who has accepted an invitation to play in the prestigious Army National High School All-Star football game in January. He has also accepted a scholarship offer from Notre Dame. He is a wonderful Christian young man that attends the weekly chapel I lead at Butler High.

Steve Israel: Former NFL player who played for the Panthers and 3 other teams in his 10 year career. He currently is the College football analyst for ESPNU and also teaches Sunday School at his church here in Charlotte.

Scott Farley: Former NFL player who won a Super Bowl Ring with the Patriots and also spent 2 years as a Carolina Panther. He currently is the Athletic Director at the new Queens Grant High School here in the south Charlotte area.

What do they have in common?

All three of these men spoke to over 800 people at the MARA football banquets we hosted and I was the MC for this week. It was a great way for CSF to serve a local community organization that strives to help shape young boys and girls into quality young adults. Each of these men shared their personal stories of success, failure and determination. They shared about hard work, dedication, academic importance and even the fact that Jesus Christ is first in their lives and that HE is the highest priority that they live for.

This week was a week that showed our value as a Fellowship. We have built a facility and designed our philosophy of ministry to support and encourage our public schools and sports organizations. We have done this instead of starting our own Christian sports leagues and schools. This week proved to be a week where hundreds of people were honored, served and saw Christ in us as much as they heard it.

Our CSF Staff and volunteers did a great job!

Great Job CSF!

Grab a friend...........see you Sunday!

Technology is here

Every Sunday at the Porch Cafe people tell us that if we took credit or debit cards then they would be able to buy coffee, snacks, books, T-shirts or whatever it is that we have for sale. Their reasoning.......people today never carry cash. I know I don't ever have cash in my possession anymore.

We have heard your cry......starting this Sunday CSF will accept Visa, Master Card and Discover for items sold at the Porch Cafe. Moreover, you will be able to pay for other things like summer camp, retreats, league fees for sports and the like. As a matter of fact we still have about eight Advent "kits" left from last night that you can purchase this way on Sunday.

Speaking of Sunday, we will be concluding our Out Of The Nest series this weekend. We will be talking about how we should teach our kids about money and possession. We need to teach our kids the value of a dollar, what are some dangers of money and credit and what is the truth about our desire for possessions.

What a great Sunday to introduce our new credit card machines.....

Also, be looking for the soon coming announcement about how you can also give on line and pay for other things via our website. With all this talk about credit and with the holidays here.....don't forget this great principle from the Bible.

1 Timothy 6:10 "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager fro money (stuff) have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

Fellowship Service Tonight

Tonight will be a great night! I love our Fellowship Services! It is a great time for us all to take a "worship" break in the middle of the week! Tonight we will enjoy our first Christmas worship songs of the season, communion to usher in the Holiday season, teaching and the materials for each family to celebrate Advent, Parent/Child dedication and we will round off the night with another exciting baptism!

If you are feeling a little down...not ready to celebrate Thanksgiving or the birth of our Savior....then this Fellowship Service is what you need!

Look what Psalms 34:1-5 "I will exalt the Lord at all times, His praise will always be on my lips. My Soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord and He answered me; he delivered me from all my fears!"

Everything starts at 7pm!

We have child care for 0-kindergarten.

See you tonight...as THE FELLOWSHIP Gathers!

Work Chart

This past Sunday I taught on the responsibility of the parent to train their kids....how to work and why to work. We talked about how many in this generation are leaving home and have no clue what it means to work, work hard and be responsible in their work.

Learning the values of work must start in the home. It should start with toddlers and progressively grow in responsibility and difficulty as they get older. I am personally amazed at the number of high school kids who have never been asked to take on basic normal work responsibilities in their home.

This Sunday we gave you a "Working For The King" work chart. I have heard that many of these went home and are being used. Great job parents! By the end of this week, you can go to our CSF website and find this chart available for you to print and use weekly at your house. I pray that the families of CSF will be cultural trend setters when it comes to really preparing our kids to honor God in the real world.

As a reminder, here are some of the verses we used this past Sunday. Look them up and re-read them. Remember, when you and I go to work and as we get our kids to work...we work For The King!

Proverbs 22:29 "Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before Kings; he will not sere before obscure men."

Look these up: Proverbs 24:30-34; Proverbs 6:6-11; Proverbs 10:26; Proverbs 21:25; Proverbs 26:14.

As you read these verses, do you see your work as an extension of who you are? Do you see your work and a purposeful expression of who God created you to be? Do you see it as a blessing so that you can provide for your family? Do you find enjoyment in your work? If so......then you are able to receive one of the greatest gifts God gives us here on this earth.

Here is the verse I closed with. Our kids are following our lead when it comes to our attitude toward work.

Ecc 5:18-19
“I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him – for this is his purpose. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his life and be happy in his work…...this is a gift of God.”

Christmas Mission 2007

For the past six years, CSF has brought the love of Christ to over 700 underprivileged children and the teachers who teach them at Walter Bicket Elementary School. This year will be the same!

How it works:
Every child at the school gets to fill out a card with their name, age, grade and of course what they want for Christmas. On the day of the Christmas Party, they are presented with the gift they asked for and an 45 minute Christmas presentation from the volunteers at CSF. We do drama, live music and we tell the meaning of Christmas in a way they can understand. Yes....even at a public school, we mention the love of God and how he sent his son to be born on Christmas morning. It is a great day!

Your Part:
Please pick up one or two of the "tags" that has the kid's names and their gift request on it at our Christmas Mission table located in the CSF Breeze Way and info area. Purchase a gift under $20 and bring it back wrapped and with that name card securely taped on it.

You must have your gifts here by December 9th.

Also, we need people to serve in these ways:
* Band and singers to perform for the kids at their school party.

* Elves to help teachers with their class parties on the afternoon of Dec 14th.

* Delivery volunteers to help deliver the gifts to the school on Thursday, Dec 13th in the evening after school is out.

* Administration volunteers to help process all the gifts and make sure each gift has a tag and each kid has a gift.

This is a huge mission for us every year.....thanks for helping! If you would like to volunteer, please email Clint@charlottesouth.org


We have our Fellowship Service this Wednesday night. We will celebrate baptism, communion, have incredible "Christmas Worship", and learn how to have a meaningful Family Advent this Christmas Season.

CSF = Volunteers

Why do we call ourselves Charlotte South Fellowship?

Because the word Fellowship denotes the idea that we are all in this thing together. That we all discover our gifts and passions and then use them to achieve our God given Purpose and Game Plan as a local Church or Fellowship. (The Bible uses both words in speaking about the local body of believers who have a passionate commitment to Christ and radical commitment to each other).

I love the fact that at CSF, we pastors lead and then equip others who in turn accomplish the vast amount of life-changing ministry that takes place here. I love the fact that our band is awesome and non of them are paid professionals just playing here on Sunday as a musical gig. I love the fact that we have trained, committed and certified nursery workers that minister every week...and none are hired guns looking to make a few bucks on the weekend. Same is true with our elementary age, middle and high school volunteers.

I think it is revolutionary that our new building and our offices gets cleaned and ready for ministry every day by non-paid volunteers! Moreover, because our clean team calls this place home...they clean it like it is something special to them, not just a job.

I love the fact that right now in our office, as it is every day, there are "skilled" office volunteers that do administration and secretarial work as volunteers. I was told that when we went over a 1000 people we would no longer be able to survive with volunteers doing a bulk of the office work.....not true!

I love the fact our drama team, stage design team and other Sunday morning tech people are all volunteers!

The list could go on and on......

The reason CSF does not have to pay for hired help in so many of these areas is because of the high percentage of people at CSF who serve and do their part. I love the fact that people can serve here without feeling like they have to do everything. Everyone plays a role and no one has to get burned out by doing too much!

As we get set for another great weekend here at CSF....I want you to know:

I love this place and I love the Fellowship we have built that is radically changing the lives of so many people. I am thankful for you and the passion you have for Christ. I am honored to be a part of this dream, a place we call CSF!

Because of the people who call this place home our future is brighter than ever!

Ephesians 3:20 "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at WORK within US, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through out all generations."

Hot Air

The temperature dipped below freezing last night. About 6pm last night I made sure the upstairs and downstairs heaters were turned on and ready to go. Our daughter, Ellie, is the only one who has a bedroom downstairs. So....knowing that we would not be aware if it was cold downstairs, I made sure the heater turned on and was blowing. After "hearing" it kick on and "hearing" the air coming out the vents, I tucked her in, turned off the lights, shut her door and scurried upstairs feeling good about my daddy duties.

This morning when I woke up, it was a toasting 70 degrees up-stairs, a cold 30 degrees outside and an alarmingly frigid 57 degrees downstairs. Poor Ellie was chilled and not real happy with her daddy!

I soon discovered that the heater was still on and blowing air....just not HOT air.
Even though I had "heard" the heater...it was not "doing" what it was suppose to.

The Bible says that one of the worst things we can do as Christians is to be people who "hear" the truth but don't "do" anything about it. We know the truth but don't do it. We know what we should be doing...we just don't do it. At CSF we have taken the basic things that a Christ follower should be "doing" and called them our six S's. Read through these six basic qualities that should mark every believers life and see if you are blowing hot...or just blowing.


The Salvation of Christ has been accepted personally. (one time event)
We Serve at our local Fellowship.
We are Stewards of our resources.
We are growing Spiritually in our knowledge of God and His ways.
We are involved in Significant Relationships with others.
We Share our faith with other who are not Christians.

(This list is defined and clarified more with Bible verses on our website)

James 1:22 "Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." Be doers of the Word not hearers only!

It takes Consistency

Anyone who has ever raised a child or has worked with children knows one important thing. To really help a child grow and learn takes consistency by an adult in their life in whatever setting they are experiencing. Parents, teachers, coaches and even mentors need to be there and help them to navigate the challenges they face on a regular basis. There has to be a relational consistency in their life.

This fact is very true for the purpose and vision we have for each of our kids in our All-Stars children's ministry. This is especially true in the 1-5th graders who meet upstairs. They need their Home Team leaders and other volunteers to be consistent in their attendance as leaders.

Our new dynamic All-Star Team team of Stacey Sutton, Leah Prasse and Clint Newton have made our children's ministry a wonderful place for our kids to learn and have fun. However, our 1st-5th grades are in need of adult volunteers who will make a weekly commitment to a specific service.

Having a new adult Home Team leader each week leading their group is not the BEST for our kids. Plain and simple, we need more people to step up and volunteer upstairs. Last week we had our highest attendance in 1st-5th grade. The kids are loving the exciting teaching gifts and high energy presentation of Mr. Clint. They love breaking into smaller groups...however, we don't have enough adults who are willing to be trained and then prepare each week to lead a group. The Home Team groups have too many kids for them to be the BEST they can be.

Will you pray about serving on a consistent basis in our All-Star Children's ministry?

Also, Parents, I can't stress this enough....YOU need to have YOUR child here on a consistent basis. Coming on Sunday once a month and or even twice a month...is not the BEST for you or your family. The kid's lessons build on each other and your child learns more and grows more when they are here each week. What would happen to your child's reading, math or language art skills if they only went to school 50% of the time?

Is their spiritual life any different? The Bible says we are to train our kids in the things of God on a daily basis. It can't be just a Sunday thing....it it really can't be just a two times a month deal.

Deuteronomy 6:4-7

Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord you God with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Barber Shop Theology

After a meeting this morning, I went to the barbershop to get my hair cut. I have been going to the same guy in this "old-school" barber shop for eight years. It reminds me of my uncle's barber shop in my small home town.

I know some of you are wondering why a suburban young pastor of a "cool" church goes to an old-school country style barber shop....two reasons. First, I have been getting the same style hair-cut since I first saw Top Gun in the 9th grade. Secondly, it is the cheapest cut in town. There is no way I am paying someone 20 plus dollars to cut my hair.

Anyways, as usual, while I am there you have the men who go there talking about everything from politics, sex, hunting, trucks, football and "religion." I ALWAYS just sit and listen and enjoy the rhetoric. I can close my eyes and be transplanted to my uncle's shop as a kid and teenager growing up.

Today's topic was the sad state of the school system and how the administration is letting the kids and their over controlling and whining parents (their words not mine) run the schools. They believe the teachers are helpless to discipline the kids or hold them accountable for their actions. Of course, the Tommy Knotts story came up and the sentiment in the shop was that a great coach/teacher of 24 years should not be fired because he defended himself and his honor to a drunk parent that was screaming at him through a fence. On and on....the conversation swirled.

As I listened to their talking...I realized that no one really had a good suggestion of what the solution could or should be. (Although one older guy in his 70's suggested they go back to spanking the kids and forcefully throwing them out of the "school-house.")

What is the solution to our apparent cultural problem with many kids today? I don't have all the answers, but I do believe it starts first in the home and the principles and values need to come from God's word. I believe the trouble we see in our schools and in our kids in general (even home-schooled kids) stem from a parenting issue.

I will give you a few verses to chew on while you contemplate your own parenting skills. The book of Proverbs says this about what the truths and principles in this great book can do!

Proverbs 1:1-2 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, the king of Israel. For attaining WISDOM and DISCIPLINE; for UNDERSTANDING words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the YOUNG.

This Sunday we will mine the parenting truths of this book as we apply it to how we should be raising our kids to work hard and be responsible.

PS...If you are a CSF Player and attend the 10:30 service PLEASE sit up front. Our ushers had to seat a family of 5 that were guest...in the front row. Not good for your first time in a strange place.

Porch Cafe Conversations

I was told that our first little "out of the nest" parenting talk was being discussed greatly in the Porch Cafe. I know we sold all the books too!

I had a few parents tell me that the reason they love CSF is that we teach on real issues and when they leave on Sunday morning that they, their family and friends have much to discuss. During these conversations in the Porch Cafe, many people were asking about buying a CD of the message and the series. Remember....with technology we no longer have a large overhead expense with reproducing the messages. So, we just offer them for FREE on our website. You can listen in multiple ways via our website.

You can also send the messages for free to people who you think might benefit from one of our messages. I hope you enjoy this FREE tool to help share the good news of Christ and how he can radically help and change our everyday life!

One other thing about The Porch Cafe conversations. I mentioned to all three services that I like sharing personal stories from my home and about my kids that help teach a point. I will share the good and the bad. However, my only request is that you DO NOT go up to my children (right now it is only Peyton who can understand anything you say) and talk to him about what I said. He does not attend our Encounter Services and has no clue what I am saying. Let's keep it that way....Thanks!

In today's Charlotte Observer, there is a story about the growing trend of Helicopter Parents.....check this article out.

http://www.charlotte.com/171/story/348896.html


You are going to love this.....While typing this Chalk Talk BLOG, I get a call from Peyton. Said he forgot his trombone for music class and wanted to know if we would bring it to him....Uh No.......

He said, "everyone's parents bring their instruments when they forget them on music day!" Exactly........

Great Expectations

What are you doing this weekend? Are you expecting to have fun? Planning to relax. Preparing to enjoy the beautiful crisp fall days here in the Carolinas? There are times over the weekend that you can really enjoy yourself without doing one of these three things...expecting, planning or preparing. However, not too often do you stumble into a good experience...especially if your attitude is poor and you are not expecting to enjoy yourself.

How do you approach Sunday morning? Do you come expecting a great worship experience? Do you come planning to learn and be touched by the Encounter Service? Do you prepare yourself and your family for the best possible morning?

Here are some quick hitters that I think can help make your Sunday morning the best it can be EACH Sunday!


Be prepared and get everyone together so that you can arrive 15 minutes BEFORE the service starts. Arriving late makes you rush. You don't have time to talk to friends, get a cup of coffee and hear the opening songs that always sets the tone for the service.

Come expecting to hear from God about the topic. Whisper a prayer like this..."God, today we are learning about how to prepare our kids to be successful adults. Speak to me specifically about what I need to know." One reason we advertise what the service will be about is so you can come expecting to be impacted.

Plan to bring a friend, neighbor or co-worker. The anticipation level goes way up when you know you have an unchurched friend with you. You personally know that the stakes are high and you are prayed up for your friends.

Come expecting a great morning. Your attitude will directly effect your enjoyment of the morning. However, even if the morning does not go well on your way to CSF....whisper this kind of prayer.."Lord, you know this morning has been a nightmare. My head tells me to just give up and stay home...however, my heart knows I need to Encounter you this morning, so I am going to go and I am in need of your grace and love today! NOW!"

Even a desparation prayer like that shows that you expect God to touch you in a special way.

Be prepared, plan ahead and come with Great Expectations! Bring a friend and we will see you Sunday!

Psalm 8:1-3

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth. You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger."

Last thing....GO BUTLER!

Training and Instruction

My son, Peyton, has one more week left of Pop Warner football. We play our first game "under the lights" tonight in the MARA Bowl first round. It has been another fun season of watching 7-9 year-olds learn the game, improve their skills of the game, and have a lot of fun.

This year, for the first time in his life, Peyton has decided to play basketball. Next week, after football season is over, he will venture into uncharted waters. He does not know very much about basketball. I personally never played basketball on a team, don't watch basketball in our home and to be honest don't even like basketball.

Where I grew up in Florida, we had two sports we played and cared about. Football and Baseball. March Madness in my home town was the sign that Spring Football practice was about to start. Anyway....I digress

When Peyton laces up the high-tops next week he will go to a sport practice completely clueless. He is unprepared and the only boy on his new team that has not played basketball before. Unlike football and baseball I have not trained him or given him proper instruction AT HOME to prepare him for this new adventure. Peyton has been throwing and catching a football in our backyard since he was two. He was learning to hit a baseball off a tee at two.

Sports are fun...but it is not the most important part of real life. However, too many of us as parents are failing to give our kids proper instruction and training in real life techniques and our kids are entering into High School clueless and more specifically graduating from high school and still completely unprepared for the real world.

Listen to what Ephesians 6:4 commands us to do as parents!

"Fathers (parents) do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the TRAINING and INSTRUCTION of the Lord."

What does this mean?????.....see you Sunday!