I’ve been wrestling with this thought for a few days as I’ve been pondering what it means to be on staff at Lifepoint. One of the many things I dream about in a staff is that we always have something to share about Christ. Maybe it’s as simple as something I’ve read, something I’ve learned, something I’ve been convicted of, something I’ve awakened to, something I’ve memorized, something I’ve prayed, something I’ve experienced. You get the point.

I look forward to the day that I can ask any staff member, or Christ follower for that matter, at any moment to lead a Bible study or share what they are learning and they just go for it. As if they’ve been preparing for the opportunity.

I wrestle with the follower of Christ that has nothing to share. I’m that way sometimes. What I have learned about myself is that the times I have nothing to share are also the times when I have spent zero time with Jesus. Interesting, zero output usually means zero input.

How’s your input? Just a thought.

I get the awesome privilege of seeing the “behind the scene” teams working in action! Yes, a lot of work goes into our experience on Sundays (and we are so grateful for every volunteer serving in those capacities!) but few people know how much work it takes between Sunday’s to make Lifepoint what it is! We have some awesome volunteers that make all of this happen!

Office Extraordinaire
Let me introduce you to one of these amazing individuals… I officially met Joan Knowles at Roland-Grise about a year ago. I had heard about her and the half marathon she ran despite the bronchitis she was fighting… so when she came up to me in the courtyard of Roland Grise Middle School to ask if she could volunteer in the office, I said “heck yeah!” Joan’s “go get ‘em” attitude has been an awesome attribute around the office. It doesn’t matter if she’s asked to shred papers, clean dishes, run to SAM’s Club and Office Max 3 times a week, scan documents, or fold, address, stamp, and seal 500 church wide letters (that’s right- they don’t arrive in your mailbox magically) …she does it all with a smile on her face!

I’ve had some fun conversations with Joan over the past year and she is one cool lady. One thing I love about her is not only her willingness to serve faithfully, but her determination in everything she does. She has big dreams and audacious goals in life and seeing her charge after them is inspiring. Better yet, I’ve seen her chase after Jesus even when going through difficult circumstances. Joan had the opportunity to go to Lagutu, Uganda last year and when the timing didn’t make sense and the finances didn’t seem to line up, she pushed on knowing that God had called her to go and He made a way. Since then I have seen her grow in her faith tremendously and serve passionately.

Joan inspires me and she is a servant leader!

I’m thankful for every volunteer at Lifepoint Church. They are truly the hands and feet of Jesus. But I’m especially thankful for Joan Knowles and the impact she’s making at Lifepoint.

You’ve blown it…again.  You said it wouldn’t happened…but it did.  You said you’d never do that again…and you did.

What do you do now?

One of my heroes of the Bible found himself in this very situation.  Peter promised Jesus that he would never leave Him.  He said that he would die with Him if that is what he had to do.  As it turns out, Peter not only abandons Jesus but swears that he doesn’t even KNOW Jesus!

HE SWORE HE DIDN’T EVEN KNOW HIM!

What did He do?  He quit.  Peter dropped out as a follower of Jesus.  Maybe that’s how you feel after messing up, again.

What does Jesus do?  Jesus does for Peter the same thing that He has done for us.

HE PRACTICES PREEMPTIVE FORGIVENESS.

Neither Peter’s sin or yours has caught Jesus off guard.  Think about that…Your sin does not surprise Jesus!  He knows you’re going to do it and He offers forgiveness anyway!

Before Simon Peter ever denied knowing Jesus and quit, Jesus invited him back.  Read it for yourself in Luke 22:31-32, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Hear me loud and clear on this one:  YOU MAY HAVE GIVEN UP ON JESUS, BUT JESUS HASN’T GIVEN UP ON YOU!

He has Preemptively Forgiven you!

A relationship with Jesus is meant to be PERSONAL but not PRIVATE.  In the Bible when someone repented of their sins and placed their faith and trust in Jesus they were subsequently baptized.  This baptism was done out of obedience to Jesus and as a testimony to others.

I believe baptism is a powerful experience for every believer.  It symbolizes our “old life” being buried and our “new life” alive in Christ.  Another reason it is powerful is simply because we are being obedient to the teaching of Jesus.  We are following His example.  It is impossible to live a victorious life if we do not walk in obedience to the teaching of Jesus.

But what if I’m not ready?  This is a question I have received many times.  The only prerequisite to baptism is to receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  If you wait until you “feel ready,” you’ll be waiting for a long time.  Remember, baptism is a picture of what Christ has done in you.  He has forgiven you and given you new life.

But what if I got baptized as a baby?  I hear this question a bunch also.  We do not practice infant baptism simply because an infant can not make a decision to place their faith and trust in Jesus.  We do however, offer Child Dedication which is a special ceremony where we dedicate a family to raising their child in a way that will honor.  Baptism should be the first act of obedience AFTER a person becomes a believer.

What if I got baptized but didn’t understand what I was doing?  My recommendation would be to focus on the NOW.  Do you understand the sacrifice of Jesus NOW?  Have you received Him as your Lord and Savior?  If so, I would encourage you to get baptized NOW that you understand.  It will mean more to you and it will speak volumes to your friends.

Have you gone public?  Don’t wait any longer!  This coming Sunday, May 6th we are offering baptisms during both Sunday services.  If you need to get baptized, please email us:  info@lifepointnow.com and we’ll get you more information.

To view all the baptism pics from Sunday visit our Facebook page.

If you prayed or gave to make this become a reality…THANK YOU!  God is doing an amazing work through your prayers and generosity!

Admit it, there are plenty of reasons why you can’t do what God has called you to do.  But of course, that’s no surprise to you.  Everytime you are ready to step out you’re reminded of why it won’t work…can’t work.

You’re NOT alone!

The odds were against David, and Gideon, and Saul, and Noah, and Moses, and Abraham.  I’m pretty sure everyone that has stepped into their “God Calling” has felt completely overwhelmed and inadequate.

Let the words of Romans 4 sink into your heart as you step out.

 18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

Abraham faced the facts but believed the TRUTH.  

The facts say that He is too old.  The Truth says he is just the right age.

Face the facts.  Believe the Truth.  Step out!

One of the ways that my mom has made the biggest impact on me is through her devotion to God.  I have never had a bigger cheerleader or prayer warrior than my mother.  I have images of her studying her Bible burned into my mind.  I can hear her asking me if I read my YouthWalk devotional every morning growing up.  I can picture her sitting in her blue recliner praying.

Thank you Mom!

This morning I read Psalm 116:16 which says:

Truly I am your servant, Lord;

I serve you just as my mother did;

you have freed me from my chains.

Like it or not, our kids are going to serve Jesus in a similar manner that we do.  I am eternally grateful for a mother that set the bar high!  I pray that my kids will one day say, “I serve Jesus just as my father did…”

Thank you Mom for serving Jesus!

Last year we were just beginning to organize and cast vision for the Care Team Ministry of Lifepoint Church when we held our very first team meeting.  That is where I was introduced to Gina Coulter and first encountered that now familiar smile that encompasses her entire face, and often the entire room.  It did not take long to understand that Gina had come, not only to the Care Team meeting, but also to Lifepoint Church with a purpose on her heart and mind and a calling to serve the Lord Jesus Christ on her life.

Gina Monticello Coulter and her husband Dave moved here, bringing with them their two boys, Joey and Michael from Port Saint Lucie, Florida.  Gina says (often with tears flowing) she knew from the start that God had a specific purpose in bringing their family from Florida to Wilmington.  After being told about Lifepoint Church by her sister-in-law and her husband, Susan and Michael Naylor, she also knew very quickly that serving at Lifepoint was a major part, if not the primary reason for their coming to Wilmington.

It did not take a lot of time or brain power for me to recognize in Gina someone who genuinely desired to be used by the Lord, and was prepared to selflessly make sacrifices to do just that.  Since that first meeting, Gina has been instrumental in the formation and the application of practically all of the various teams that make up the Care Ministry.  She serves as the Leader/Coordinator of the Experience Care Team who are seen every Sunday after each worship service, praying and counseling with any in attendance who have need or desire to meet with them.  In addition to the ECT, Gina also lends her unique servant’s heart and talents to the Prayer Team, the Life Coach Team, and the Communion Team.  If those were not enough, late last year she agreed to serve as volunteer assistant to the Care Pastor, and that makes my job tremendously simpler and easier.

This wife, mom and business woman (she owns and operates “You Glow Girl” bath salt scrubs) leads not one, but two Life Groups (I Am Second and Run to WIN), and is also a certified fitness instructor in her “spare” time. I frankly get exhausted just writing this post about her.  Gina came to Lifepoint in obedience to God and showed up one night at a meeting looking for someplace to serve.  I’m pretty sure that she found what she was looking for and much, much more.  I am grateful that she did, and I’m sure proud to introduce her to you so that you can be grateful for Gina too!

Go back and read in Luke 10 the story of the Good Samaritan. I parked out in that story recently and let it begin to soak in. I love it. The beauty of the story is that the most likely becomes the least interested and the least likely becomes the most involved. You’ve got a Priest, a levite and a Samaritan. Or you could say, a Pastor, Associate Pastor, and a Deacon (no offense Deacons). What I love about the story is that the least likely candidate to offer help to someone in need turns out to be the one who rises to the occasion.

I love this story for several reasons. The first is that you don’t have to have any training, seminary, or education to be used by God. Just a side note, but studies show that 80% of seminary graduates drop out of the ministry within the first 5 years.

The second is that it is not just enough to see an opportunity, you have to seize the opportunity. All three saw the beat up guy. The Priest walked to the opposite side of the road. The levite looked and left. But the Samaritan approached and engaged.

The third is that sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is to get off your…DONKEY. Let me repeat myself. GET OFF YOUR DONKEY! The samaritan got off his donkey, bandaged the wounds, and gave of his own money to care for the man.

Jesus wraps up story time with a simple phrase, “Go and do the same.”  I love it.

Moral of the story…it’s amazing what you can do, or better yet what God can do through you if you are willing to get off your…DONKEY (oops, I almost slipped that time).  Dismount!

It was happening! My plant was growing! It was literally changing everyday. By this time I was excited to see the growth but tired of looking at it in the little pot so I pulled it up by the stem and transplanted it in a different pot. This new pot was bigger and had different soil that advertised better nutrients. So I packed my little friend into his new home and waited for him to grow. He was slow at first but then began to adjust and grow. He wasn’t growing as much as he was in the beginning so I decided to try another pot with different soil.

That’s when he died.

It’s a sad story, I know. I see it happen all the time. People bounce from church to church wondering why they aren’t growing and blaming it on the church. Could it be that you have never stayed in one place long enough to let your roots grow down deep? Many believers have never seen what God can do through them because they’ve never stayed planted in one place long enough to find out.

Bloom where you’re planted!