A Game of Inches

Tough day in Starkville on Saturday. Jan and I attended the Mississippi State - LSU football game and for fifty-eight minutes and thirty seconds enjoyed a tremendous game. The Bulldogs rose to the occasion and played better than most expected. We outplayed the seventh-ranked Tigers from Baton Rouge but gave up a couple of big plays that kept us behind most of the game. During the last two minutes we drove the ball inside the LSU five yard line and actually had three cracks at it from the one yard line. What a disappointment that we could not move the ball a few more inches. Such is the game of football. The good news is that another Saturday is coming and that means another opportunity to get a win. Go Bulldogs!

Love, Connect, Serve

The purpose and ministry of Highland Drive Baptist Church can be condensed to three phrases. Love God, Connect to Others, Serve the World. Those phrases summarize what it means to be a committed, maturing follower of Jesus Christ. That is what we want to be and what we want to lead others to be. At HDBC we primarily demonstrate our love for God through worship. It is our desire to lead people into a love relationship with God that will result in worship. We primarily demonstrate that we are connected to others through small groups. It is our intention to lead people who have become regular worshippers of God to take the next step and get involved in a small group. Through small groups, relationships are developed, lives are enriched and fellowship happens. We serve the world through ministries, missions and evangelism. Our goal is to lead people to this important third step of serving. We were created for good works. God has called each person to give through service.

So, where are you in the process? Do you love God and demonstrate that through worship? Are you connected to others by being involved in a small group? Are you regularly serving in some ministry?

Psalm 69

Boy, the Lord really challenged me this morning. I was reading in Psalms 69 and came across the following words. O God, it is You who knows my folly, and my wrongs are not hidden from you. May those who wait for You not be ashamed through me. O Lord God of hosts; may those who seek You not be dishonored through me, O God of Israel.

What a reminder that my life and actions can draw people toward the Lord or lead them away. What a challenge to guard my words, actions and reactions. People are watching. Therefore I join with Kind David in praying, Lord, may I live in such a way that people will be attracted to You. May my words and actions draw people toward you and not away from You.

Sermon Series

We: I and the rest of a group that includes me; you and I; you and I and another or others. Used as a pronoun of the first person plural. Denoting more than one.

The We Church sermon series explores the blessings and benefits of living in a community with other followers of Jesus Christ. We were created to enjoy relationships with other people. The New Testament reveals that the church is made up of a group of individual believers who have joined together to express their love for God through worship.

The church is a brotherhood of individuals who have committed their lives to Christ. It is through the church that believers can most effectively live as Christ calls us to live. In the church it is not “I” but about “We.” There is a togetherness in the church that can be found nowhere else on earth. The "We Church" sermon series will explore just what that togetherness is all about. It starts Sunday morning, September 20 and Highland Drive Baptist Church.

See you on Sunday.

Great Sunday

Last Sunday was a great day at HDBC. I really enjoyed the mission trip testimonies. Each person did an exceptional job of sharing how God worked in the various area. What a blessing to see that God was able to use HDBC on four continents this past year. We have two more teams planning to make trips this year. We have a team planning to work in New Orleans in November and a team making a trip to Ivory Coast in December. Please pray for these teams as they finalize plans.

First SEC Game

Last Saturday we took Hutch to his first SEC college football game. He enjoyed the atmosphere in Starkville and cheered for the Bulldogs as they played Jackson State. He wore his football jersey, his bulldog shorts and even had the Dawg tattoos on his cheeks. He loves to watch them tackle. Who knows, maybe we'll be watching him at Scott field in sixteen or seventeen years. The boy certainly does love to play ball. The other night he was doing trick shots in basketball while singing the theme song from the movie Space Jam. Can you tell that I am enjoying being a Papa J?

Blessed

I am feeling so blessed. I have a wonderful wife, three beautiful daughters, a grandchild who keeps me in stitches, a couple of great sons-in-law and a second grandchild on the way. I am blessed to serve alongside a great staff at HDBC. The Bullies won last Saturday. Hey, life is good. Actually, life is still good even when the Bullies lose. I am blessed most of all because my joy is not dependent upon my circumstances but upon the one who is Lord of my circumstances. Jesus is the joy of my life. I can say with the song-writer, the longer I serve Him the sweeter He grows. The greatest privilege of my life is knowing Jesus. Do you know Him?

Feeling Better

After some serious chest and sinus congestion I am finally beginning to feel better. Also, the voice is coming back, slowly. It is never a good thing for a preacher to lose his voice. Thanks for all the prayers. I should be fine for Sunday.

Because it is Labor Day weekend, we will have 9:30 a.m. worship only. No small groups and no Sunday night worship. I am looking forward to a great weekend, and especially to worshipping at Highland Drive on Sunday. Since we have only one service, let's pack the house.