Bridges

I am so excited about how people are catching the vision of building bridges of relationships to people in our community. In recent weeks the number of guests in our worship celebrations has exploded. So, keep up the good work. Keep investing in the lives of others and inviting them to church and to small group parties. God will use it in their lives.

Special thanks to Kirstyn and Kaitlyn for helping with the message on Sunday night. You girls are great. Thanks for risking the unknown and being such good sports.

I am praying for a positive impact from the current Sunday morning message series, "Overcoming Life's Great Challenges." This week we will explore ways to recover after divorce. Make plans to be in church this Sunday, and remember to invite a friend.

Sunday

What a great day we had on Sunday. It is such a joy to meet each week with the family of Highland Drive Baptist Church. Praise the Lord for revealing Himself to us in such a great way and for adding to the church. Welcome, Barbara Sutton! We are glad to have you in the family.

I will be starting a new sermon series this coming Sunday morning; "Overcoming Life's Great Challenges." Life can be tough. All of us will face some great challenges in life. The Bible offers some very practical advice on how to face these challenges and on how to be overcomers. Join us this Sunday as we begin the series.

Remember, my HDBC brothers and sisters, let's build some bridges this week.

In Calvary's Grace,
Johnny

Day Off

I have taken the day off today (Monday) and boy does it feel strange. Normally I take Fridays off, after I have completely prepared for Sunday. However, the ministers on our staff have begun to rotate our days off, so that someone will be in the office on Fridays. Last Friday was my day. I was amazed at how quiet it was in the office. I actually was able to accomplish some much-needed studying.

I intended to sleep-in today, but my body just could not get used to the idea. So, I got up and moving earlier than I thought I would. After walking for an hour I decided to do some work around the house. I checked email, answered a few questions from the office, vacuumed the carpet, then had an extended phone call with a friend who is going through a very difficult time. I also talked with Joy, wishing her a happy twenty-first birthday. Wish I could be there to give her a big hug. Tonight, Jan and I plan to join our Adult 1 class for a chili supper. Between now and then I need to go to Ridgefield Christian School to work on a computer. All in all, it's been a good day off.

I'm still excited over the good day we had yesterday at HDBC. What a great church!

Johnny

The Unwelcomed Guest

At our church we work hard to be "guest-friendly." We want to created an atmosphere where anyone will feel welcome when they visit one of our worship celebrations or small group activities. However that commitment was challenged this past Sunday morning when we had an unwelcomed guest. Yes, you read it right. We had a guest on Sunday that we hope will never return.

This guest was first noticed between our early and late worshp celebrations. Three men came to my office to declare that we had a problem. I followed them into the worship center to see for myself. At first I did not see him. Then suddenly he flew from his perch near the front of the worship center to a spot near the back. That's right, he flew.

Now . . . I like birds. In fact we feed them in our back yard. But this flying critter was not welcome in our worship center for obvious reasons. However, with only minutes before our next worship celebration was to begin, there was little we could do. It was fitting that our praise band began the worship service with an upbeat rendition of "I'll Fly Away." They already had planned this song. The Lord surely has a sense of humor.

The little guy made several passes through the air during our time of worship, but as far as I could tell never seemed to be moved by the message. I prayed hard for him, but it was not for his salvation. I simply wanted him to find his way to freedom. Later, due to some crafty work by a couple of our members, this unwelcomed guest was escorted outside. Thanks, guys!

We are still "guest-friendly" but prefer people. Have a good day . . . and invite a guest to join us next Sunday.

Bro. J

Clean Sweep

I am so grateful to a church family that is willing to work. Thanks to all who helped make last night's "Clean Sweep" a big success. Let's continue to work hard to keep our facilities in top shape. I appreciate all who help in this area.

Congratulations to the Razorbacks for putting a whooping on my Bulldogs last night. I'm grieved over it, but life goes on. Hopefully we will take care of you hogs when you come to "the Hump" in a few weeks.

The Kids of Upward

The past two Saturdays I have spent time at the church interacting with the kids and parents who are involved in Upward Basketball and Cheerleading. This is a great ministry. It is such a joy to watch the kids smile and laugh as they learn the importance of teamwork in a positive environment. I appreciate all those at HDBC who have made this a reality for our church.

Praise the Lord for adding to the church yesterday during both morning worship celebrations. Welcome to the Sharps and the Moseleys. You are are now officially members of a wonderful church family.

I look forward to all the Lord has planned for HDBC in the next few weeks and months. There is certainly a sense of excitement in the air.

On a final note . . . "how about those Mississippi State Bulldogs!" 5-0 in conference with a big game in Fayetteville this week. Go Dawgs.

Blessings,
Johnny

Busy Week

Looks like this is going to be a busy week. We are planning an all-day staff meeting for Tuesday in order to place the major events for 2008 on the calendar. If you think about it, pray for us as we sort it all out. By the way, it is a joy to work with our staff. They are truly the BEST.

Blessings.
Bro. Johnny