Sports and More

Campers, parents, counselors and workers are all anticipating a great weekend of fun and games. The second annual HDBC Sports and More camp will kick off in about twenty-four hours. I had to miss last year's camp because I was on sabbatical, so I am excited about experiencing all the fun.

I want to especially thank Shay and the children's ministry team, as well as all the workers who will make it happen. It was easy to sense the excitement as the group gathered last night for a few instructions.

On another note, I took the plunge yesterday and purchased an iPhone. It will enable me to stay a little more connected while I am traveling, or simply out of the office. Now, if I can just figure out how to make a phone call!

Awakened

Awakening 09 officially ended last night but the awakenings have just begun. God worked in a marvelous way in our church this past week and we are so grateful to Him. Eight people were baptized during the week. Each one indicating their absolute commitment to follow Christ and to live for Him. Several others made decisions to trust Christ to forgive their sins and will be baptized in the near future. Some of those who were baptized indicated that they were already saved but had not received Biblical baptism, until this week. Praise the Lord for His great work.

As I shared with our men's prayer group this morning, this is not the time to stop praying. More than ever we need to seek the heart and face of God, to pray for these new believers among us, and to pray for those who do not yet have a personal relationship with the Lord. In the wake of these new commitments of faith, some will face opposition and discouragement. However, with the help of the Holy Spirit, the empowerment from the Word of God, and the fellowship of other believers they will grow strong in their new faith.

To Him be the glory now and forever!

Awesome

Awesome is a word that is often overused. I'll grant that. However, it is the word that I am choosing to describe the beginning of Awakening 09. In all three worship services on Sunday we saw evidence of God's awesome work. Several people chose to put their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Their lives have now forever been changed and their eternal destination in Heaven is secured. God is so good.

I am also hearing of marriages that are being strengthened, families coming together, confession over sin, and significant life-changing commitments. I am thrilled with the first day of Awakening 09 and am anxiously waiting to see what the Lord will do tonight!

Don't miss it! Join us at 6:30 p.m.

Bridge 365

Bridge 365 is a phrase you will soon be hearing around HDBC. It represents a developing strategy for reaching our local area. Bridge 365 will seek to engage HDBC members in serving a specific geographic area of our city for one year. We will find creative and effective ways to communicate the love of Jesus to the people in the designated area and therefore build a bridge of love. So, be looking for Bridge 365. It's coming soon.

Joy's Graduation

Jan, Julie, Hutch and I traveled to Fayetteville over the weekend to celebrate Joy's graduation from the University of Arkansas. Thankfully the weather was great and everyone made it to the place they needed to be on time. It was such a joy to hear her name called and to see her walk across that stage.

I'm also thankful that so many of our relatives came to celebrate with us. Thanks to Jim and Lanelle Hutchison (my parents), Jim and Bess Nichols (Jan's parents), Julie and Hutch Bristow (my daughter and grandson), Bob, Nancy and Drew Hutchison (my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew), Randy, Julie, Tavie, Tessie, Trey, Trulie and Torie Nichols (Jans brother, sister-in-law, nieces and nephew).

All nineteen of us then enjoyed a great meal at Red Lobster. In case you are wondering, I was tempted to take care of the bill for all of us . . . but I resisted. It was also good to be able to visit with my mom during Mother's Day weekend. I have not often been able to do this.

Joy will be staying in Fayetteville where she will work in two ministry positions. She will be working at the BCM on the University of Arkansas campus as well as working in the Leadership Training Program at the University Baptist Church. Thanks for continuing to pray for her as she enters this new phase of her life.

Graduation

Jan and I are looking forward to celebrating graduation this Saturday afternoon in Fayetteville. Our daughter, Joy, will be graduating from the University of Arkansas. We are extremely proud of Joy (as we are of all our daughters) for this achievement.

I well remember the emotions that Jan and I felt as we drove out of the parking lot located at the north end of Razorback Stadium and looked back to see Joy standing there all alone. She had chosen to enter a brave new world and courageously embraced the unknown. It was a great leap of faith for her and for us.

We were extremely grateful for the ministry of the BCM there and for the Christian sorority that Joy was privileged to join. Both of these organizations provided ample opportunities not only for friendships but also for ministry. Now, four years later, as Joy is wrapping up her academic degree, her desire for ministry is even stronger. She will remain in Fayetteville working on staff of the BCM in an intern position and working on staff at University Baptist Church.

Great job Joy. God has some great plans for you. Your mom and I look forward to seeing all the ways that God is going to work in and through your life. We love you.

Prayer and Fasting

During the week of May 11-15 HDBC members and regular attenders are encouraged to pick a day for prayer and fasting as we approach Awakening 09. For many people the thought of fasting might be a little scary. But it does not have to be.

Fasting is simply the voluntary abstinence from food for spiritual purposes. It is the denial of something in the physical realm, in order to achieve something in the spiritual realm. It is asking the body to wait, so that spiritual needs can be met.

I am simply asking each of us to give up a day or at least a meal of eating in order to focus on the special work that God desires to do in our church through Awakening 09. You can still do all the things that you would normally do (work, school, activities, etc). However, in place of eating, you would spend time in prayer for revival.

I hope you will join us for this important spiritual discipline. Read what Bill Bright once wrote about fasting.

I believe the power of fasting as it relates to prayer is the spiritual atomic bomb that our Lord has given us to destroy the strongholds of evil and usher in a great revival and spiritual harvest around the world. Bill Bright