***ALL BLOGS ARE NOW FOUND BY CLICKING HERE***

Leadership & Staff Blogs

Welcome to our leadership blog page. Our leaders and Staff use this page to write to you about important events happening in their lives and the spiritual insights God is showing them. We encourage you to check back often!

• By default the most recent blog is show below.
• You can use the Select by Author option (to the right) to see all blogs,
  starting with the most recent, by a particular author.
• You can use the Select by Date option (to the right) to see a blog posted
  from a particular date.

---

Give us the orphans!
by Bob Bevan on Thursday, Jan 28th, 2010 at 09:35 am
The American church has decried abortion for over 25 years.  What if it is overturned?
Where will all those children go that are un-wanted?  Think about it.  Many of the homes would be a place no kid should have to experience. 

What if the church not only opposed abortion but championed adoption?  What if the church in cleveland alone joined together and said "Give us the orphans!"   What if the church at large committed to take every child that would be aborted in Cleveland.  Mothers waiting to abort would know this child has a home.

What if the church of America sent the message loud and clear "Give us the orphans - if you don't want them, we do!"

James 1:27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

What kind of a message would that send to America?  What if?

Click Here to Leave A Comment.
Please note all blog posts must be approved before they will be posted.

---

The 1- 2 punch
by Bob Bevan on Wednesday, Jan 20th, 2010 at 11:17 pm
what is the best way for us to grow to our full potential?

I fully believe in mentoring - having someone that is leading or teaching you.  Not only do you learn faster but if you are truly being trained as a spiritual son or daughter to someone then you will also receive impartations of that person's gifting.

Now, who do you think the best mentor was or is?   Moses, John Wooten, Paul, John Maxwell. .  Pastor Larry? 

Those would all be great for different reasons but I think it would be safe to say Jesus would be the best mentor/spiritual father.

Something struck me today in a way that i have never thought of before.  Jesus - God in the flesh - spent 3 years mentoring his disciples.  Practically living with them and sharing all he was with them.  But at the end of 3 years even Jesus said, "I have done all I can do, but there is still something else you need."

Really?  I could live with God in the flesh as my teacher and mentor and still need something else?  
Yes.  Acts 1:4.

Jesus pointed them to wait for a personal encounter with God themselves.  It was not enough to be around Jesus.  They needed a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit.

That is the unstoppable 1-2 punch combo.  Following a leader, being discipled are necessary but without a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit even 3 years with Jesus Himself leaves you not complete.

Wow!  Lead on Jesus and fill me up Holy Spirit!

Click Here to Leave A Comment.
Please note all blog posts must be approved before they will be posted.

---

The Blessing
by Bob Bevan on Saturday, Dec 19th, 2009 at 10:58 am
The purposes of God require the blessing of God.
 
In order for anything good to happen in us, it is first initiated by God's goodness towards us.  Are you born again?  You have been blessed by His favor and goodness bestowed on your life.  Has  your character changed as a result of His presence in your life?  You have been blessed.  Have you personally taken the good news of salvation or sent others by your means?  You are sharing the blessing or passing on the blessing of God in your life.
 
Has the idea of blessing been abused?  Of course.  But is it wrong to be teach blessing and receive it?  
 
To say it is wrong to teach blessing or receive it is to say God was out of line in Genesis 12 when He promised blessing to Abraham and his children.  To say it is wrong to teach or receive blessing is to say God was out of line in His instruction to Moses and Aaron in Numbers 6.  If so, then Isaac was out of line in Genesis 28.
Sometimes blessing could mean financial resources, but just as often, if not more,  it comes in forms of advancement areas such as personal growth, effectiveness in your calling and service to others, success in relationships or influence with others for God purposes.
 
Sometimes we think that the only blessings that are acceptable are those spiritual in nature.  If this were so, then why did God promise Abraham land and bless him with natural things?  Read Genesis 12 and you will see God demonstrating the Aaronic blessing to Abraham throughout the chapter.  The Lord blesses Abram with material provisions, keeps him from harm from Pharaoh and then you see Abram sent on his way after receiving favor and blessing from Pharaoh.
 
Numbers 6:22 The LORD said to Moses, 23 "Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: 24 " ' "The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." ' 27 "So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them."
 
Isaac blessed Jacob in Genesis 28
God blessed Abraham Genesis 12
God instructs Moses and Aaron to bless and how to bless His people in Numbers 6
 
 
The purpose of blessing originated in Genesis 12 and it is still the same today.  Freely we receive and freely we are to give - sometimes naturally and sometimes spiritually.  Anything that we do in the name of Christ is because of some form of blessing that He has given and it is precisely that blessing that we are sharing with others.

Click Here to Leave A Comment.
Please note all blog posts must be approved before they will be posted.

---

Jacob I loved, Esau not so much
by Bob Bevan on Monday, Dec 7th, 2009 at 02:47 pm
Jacob have I loved Esau have I hated. 

When God, who is love, says he hates then I pay attention. 
I looked at this story again in Gen. 25 and my conclusion is that Esau passed up spiritual treasures for temporary pleasures.  He gave a possible million dollar inheritance and blessing for a bowl of soup - and it wasn't even beef stew it was LENTIL!

If you are born again you have the birthright of your Father, treasure the blessing!

Click Here to Leave A Comment.
Please note all blog posts must be approved before they will be posted.

---

 

Select by Author

Bob Bevan
Chris Cummings
Jonnie Shumate
Lewis McNeely
Mary Benton

Select by Date

06-16-10
02-22-10
02-17-10
01-28-10
01-20-10
01-13-10
01-05-10
12-28-09
12-19-09
12-17-09
12-10-09
12-07-09
05-27-09
03-16-09
02-22-09
02-02-09
01-02-09
11-06-08
08-10-08
07-11-08
06-06-08
04-10-08
02-05-08
11-30-07
08-29-07
08-06-07
06-18-07
06-14-07
06-11-07
05-10-07

Calendar

read more »

Pastor's Blog

God Will Never Give Up On You
Posted 8/31 by Larry Cockerham...
read more »

Staff Blog

The Mystery of Tears
Posted 6/16 by Lewis McNeely...
read more »

Recommended
Media

see more »