Together for Adoption

This conference looks to be beneficial and encouraging for those interested in adoption and orphan care. It is a few months away and looks affordable. The website is also very informative. You can see it here.

National Collegiate Week

I have one more week of camp left this summer. On Monday morning I will fly back to Glorieta, New Mexico in order to preach at National Collegiate Week, which is a gathering of college students from around the country. My friends at Lifeway tell me that 1300 pre-registered for this week.

Therefore, I ask for your prayers as I preach Monday-Friday night. I am considering preaching on the following: (1) The New Birth (1 Pet. 1:3-9), (2) Killing Lions (Prov. 26; Rom. 12:11); (3) Pursuing Holiness (1 Peter 1:13-2:3); (4) Young Faithful Leaders (2 Tim. 2:1-13); (5) The Minister God Uses (2 Cor. 3-6).

Lord willing I fly back on Saturday afternoon, and will be back in the pulpit on Sunday morning to continue our study through our core values, as they emerge in 1 Peter. Meanwhile, our kids start school on Thursday. So, it's a big week. Thankfully we have a big God and a Great Savior.

A Tribute to Crosspoint Camps - After 24 Years, No More Camp

One of my college roommates informed me that today is the last day of Lifeway's Crosspoint Camps, a Christian sports camp for 4-8 graders. I cannot begin to describe how this camp impacted my life. My first ministry experience was in 98-2000, serving at colleges across the South. Fridays were the big days because it was "Gameday." Today was the last Gameday. So I write with tears of joy and gratitude and sadness. These opportunities were life-changing for me.

I praise God for how He used this program in my life, the lives of campers, and the lives of others in the church. I was introduced to some of my best friends, some of my favorite authors, hard work, the discipline of prayer, the power of the Gospel, the value of kids, and how to load a Budget truck in under 15 minutes with an entire camp full of materials. God also used this experience to call me into ministry as a young college student.

1 Peter

This Sunday we will baptize several people and take the Lord's Supper. We will also begin a brief series on 1 Peter.

Following week one of August, we will look at our four core values (biblical, relational, missional, and global). I want to look at them as they emerge in this tremendously encouraging and challenging letter. Here's the overview:

Aug. 2 - "Praise God for the Gospel" (1 Peter 1:3-9)

Aug. 9 - "Biblical: Loving God and His Word" (1 Peter 1:13-2:3)

Aug. 16 - "Relational: Loving One Another" (1 Peter 1:22-23; 4:7-11; 5:5)

Aug. 23 - "Missional: Loving the Community" (1 Peter 2:4-12)

Aug. 30 - "Global: Loving the Nations" (1 Peter 4:12-19)

May God's favor rest upon us as we study... for His glory and the good of the nations.

Rainer on "Five Things I Would Change If I Were to Pastor Again..."

Here is an honest article with timely wisdom for pastors from Lifeway's President, Thom Rainer. I appreciate his heart and leadership...

Every Life Counts T-Shirts

Benium sporting the shirts... He is now 6 years old, & speaking great English.

My sister is trying to raise money as they attempt to bring home two more beautiful kids from Ethiopia (siblings of Simon and Mercy). If you are interested in purchasing a shirt for 12 bucks, you can email her your order: LBond@brookdaleliving.com

They are currently out of XL. They have small, medium, and large for both kids and adults.

Poor Notes

Here are my "poor notes" from yesterday (someone asked for them): poornotes.pdf

You can get the listening guide and hear the sermon at the church website.

I tried to make a biblical case for mercy ministry by surveying Scripture, with particular attention on the poor in Proverbs. Some of the things I said yesterday are handwritten and will not show up in this rough outline.