The Partner

The Partner was a very successful novel written by John Grisham in 1998. It is also the topic of our study this coming Sunday morning. This Sunday will mark the mid-point in our five-part series Extreme Makeover: Spiritual Edition in which we are examing Romans 8.

Two weeks ago we discovered the incredible truth about The Pardon. We learned that there is absolutely no condemnation for those who are believers in Jesus Christ. All of our sins have been forgiven. Last Sunday we examined The Prize. We learned that regardless of how good it can be in this life, the best is yet to come. There is a wonderful prize waiting for every believer.

Join us this Sunday as we examine The Partner.

REMEMBER: we will have a 9:30 worship celebration only. No small groups and no evening worship. So, join us at 9:30 this week only. And remember to invite a friend.

Johnny

The Prize

Webster's dictionary defines "prize" as . . . something offered or striven for in competition or in contests of chance; also, something exceptionally desirable. It is the second part of that definition that I will be using this coming Sunday morning when we talk about The Prize. I will be describing something that not only is exceptionally desirable but is also offered.

Join us Sunday morning at 8:30 or 10:45 as we continue the new series Extreme Makeover: Spiritual Edition. Do you know someone who could use a spiritual makeover? Why not invite them to join with you this Sunday morning? Go ahead . . . invite them. You can do it.

See you on Sunday.

Johnny

Kids and Water

Something magical happens when you get kids and water get together. That was the case Sunday afternoon when we had our annual back to school splash. I'm not sure if the kids had more fun playing in the water or if the adults had more fun watching. It was fun watching Shay get soaked by the kids not just once, but several times. I even got my back soaked a couple of times. That's right, my back. I'm a runner!

Oh to be a kid again. I remember trips to the lake just to splash around in the water. When we were a little older we spent our summers at the pool. When we were not at the pool we were often playing in the sprinklers in the yard. My own kids used to place the sprinkler under the trampoline and let the water shoot up through it. Now, that was fun.

The warmer weather will soon be over so enjoy the water while you can.

Johnny

Only God

I was thrilled a few days ago when I received an email from one of the team members on our recent mission team to Ivory Coast which indicated that a Koro man had given his heart to Jesus. This man is a leader and very influential in his area.


He had heard the gospel many times before, maybe dozens of times. But from the brief testimony that I've received, something happened this time that had never happened before. He said "yes" and trusted Jesus as his savior. After years of praying and working among the Koro there is now at least one new believer. I'm not sure if there are others, but I'm sure there will be.


Why now? What made the difference in this man's life at this point? ONLY GOD. As some of us are fond of saying, "this is a God-thing." What makes a retired couple invest their lives in missions and personally give their time, money and effort to go the hard places of the world? ONLY GOD. What makes a young couple with small children travel across the ocean to experience a world that they had only read about? ONLY GOD. What will enable HDBC to make an unprecedented impact on our world? ONLY GOD.


I am looking forward to hearing more from Jerry, Armentia, Patrick and Karen, the team that just returned from Ivory Coast. Great job, guys. Get some rest, then let us join in joy of all that God has done.


Johnny

Sabbatical - Day . . . . LAST

Boy, it is so hard to believe how quickly these past weeks have gone by. In some ways it seems like only yesterday that Jan and I took off for Chicago, on day-one of our sabbatical. Now, as I sit in my sun room on Sunday evening, August 10th, I am facing the conclusion of a wonderful time of refreshment, growth, learning, and re-energizing. Tomorrow morning I will be back in the office and will be resuming my day-to-day duties as pastor.

So, what will tomorrow be like? As with every day in full-time ministry there are some unknowns. I know what I hope to accomplish: beginning sermon prep for next Sunday morning and preparation for staff meeting on Tuesday just to name a few. I also will spend some time jotting down the specific things the Lord has revealed to me concerning ministry in general, my ministry in particular, and some important insights into the direction of our church. It is amazing how the things the Lord began to reveal to me from the very beginning of the sabbatical have been confirmed over and over again throughout these weeks through books, personal conversations, conference messages, quiet meditation and church worship experiences. God clearly spoke to me in some very specific and exciting ways.

Hopefully in September I will take a Sunday night to share exactly how the Lord spoke to me not only concerning my life and ministry, but also concerning Highland Drive Baptist Church. I have no doubt that God plans to use the HD Family to impact this community and the world in ways far beyond what we have seen.

We finished our sabbatical by spending a few days in the Nashville area, attending the Willow Creek Leadership Summit on Thursday and Friday, then attending FBC, Franklin on Sunday morning. It was truly a great way to end our time of rest.

Thanks again for giving us this wonderful opportunity and for praying for us during these days. I look forward to seeing many of you on Wednesday night, and then again on Sunday.

In Calvary's Grace,

Johnny

Sabbatical - Day 36

This past Sunday we attended First Baptist Church, Corinth Mississippi. It was through the ministry of this church that I came to know the Lord and was called of God into full-time Christian ministry. This church is very special to me. It was a joy to worship with this congregation. Keep in mind that it has been over thirty years since I have attended a service there. I kept scanning the crowd looking for familiar faces, but had to keep reminding myself that there was no point in looking into the faces of those under fifty. What a wake-up call that was.

I did visit with a couple whose daughter was my age and whom I remembered from so many years ago. It was a joy to "catch-up" with them a bit. Other than that, there were some familiar faces but I could not recall names.

We then decided to venture down to Starkville for a visit to my birth city. Quite frankly I had no desire to try to find the hospital in which I was born, or anything related to my birth. I did, however checkout the Bullies who were going through their first practice of the summer. Things went well for about fifteen minutes. I was really enjoying seeing those big bodies run plays and begin to get ready for football season. Then a friendly young graduate assistant introduced himself to me and kindly informed me that practice was not open to the public. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

We will be in Franklin, TN this week for a leadership conference and will worship with First Baptist Church there on Sunday. Then on Monday I will be back in the office.

Blessings,
Johnny

Sabbatical - Day 32

This weekend I decided to travel back to my spiritual roots. We are spending a few days and nights in Corinth, Mississippi. Two significant spiritual experiences happened to me in Corinth. In 1969 at the age of 12 I confirmed my salvation by making a definite commitment of faith to Christ. Two years later at the age of 14, I answered the call of God to full-time Christian ministry as a life vocation. Both events were confirmed and strengthened through the ministry of First Baptist Church. We plan to worship there on Sunday morning. It will be a great blessing to worship in the same building and with the same congregation that meant so much to me during the young formative years of my spiritual life.

I will be praying for the Highland Drive family as you meet together this Sunday. May God visit you with a wonderful display of His grace and blessing.

Johnny