By Ronald Long
This week after the football game we’ll be having a Fifth Quarter here at the FBC Fellowship Hall. Bring your friends to have a good time of hanging out, eating food, and playing games! Stick around until 10:30 pm for some drawings. We’ll open the doors at 9:00 pm and wrap up right at 10:45 pm so everyone can get home in time for curfew.
Invite your friends and I’ll see you there!
By Ronald Long
To be a Jew in exile and learn that after roughly 100 years of returning groups that there is still no wall around Jerusalem must have been hard news to hear. Perhaps that's why Nehemiah spent so much time in prayer and fasting when he heard.
Why was having a wall such a big deal? Remember that in ancient times, a wall meant a lot more than privacy: it meant protection. To learn that the place of his fathers was still in disrepair and open to attack had to have been a serious blow.
After a time of reflection (roughly four months), Nehemiah had within his heart the desire to go and oversee the rebuilding of this city. Was it because Nehemiah was a caring person? Was it because he was an expert builder? Was it because Nehemiah wanted to be recognized as a great leader? I think Nehemiah tells us why he had this passion: He knew God was faithful to keep His promises. The promise? "...if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name."
For the month of August we're going to be looking at how Nehemiah's actions reflect our own when it comes to waking up and hearing the voice of God in our lives. I hope you'll join us here at FBC on Wednesday nights @ 6 p.m.! See you here.
By Ronald Long
Imputed
What does it mean?
Why does it matter?
How could understanding one word change everything you know about Christianity?
These are the questions we're going to tackle at this year's youth VBS. I can't wait to see you all there! This next week we'll meet Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 6-8pm. Each night we'll be hanging out at a different house. Below is a list of the houses and directions to each.
Each one has a pool which means everyone can bring a swimsuit and swim (girls need a one peice or a dark t-shirt over a two peice). You don't have to swim though, we'll have plenty of other things to do. We'll have Bible study starting at 7:00 pm.
Bring a Bible, a pen, and a FRIEND! I can't wait to see everyone there.
Monday - The Henderson's
600 Hidden Hills
Lexington, TN 38351
Tuesday - The Hollis'
505 Pine Lake Rd
Lexington, TN 38351
Thursday - The Earl's
65 Oak Crest St
Lexington, TN 38351
Friday - The Ulerick's
76 Farmington Cove
Lexington, TN 38351
By Ronald Long
I have really enjoyed getting to know the other youth ministers in this area. Jason and Andy are two really great guys. It's been such a blessing to get to know them and share ministry stories with them.
Jason has the advantage of being a little older than us. He's seen life (even lived overseas and farmed goats!) and had experiences that Andy and I are waiting to have. He's the father of two girls which earns him points in anybody's book. He also wears the double hat of minister or youth and music. He's a great guy who'll tell it like it is to his youth, volunteers, parents, congregation, guy passing by on the street... I've really valued getting to know him and see what his life has taught him.
Andy is the opposite of Jason. He's a little younger than Jason, but has been doing youth minsitry for longer than either of us. He also wears two hats at Sand Ridge: Associate Pastor and Student Pastor. He's been at three different churches which gives him a little more "know how" and experience in dealing with parents and congregations. I've really liked seeing how he's a "get it done" kind of guy when it comes to ministry. He's been chugging along with his students, trying to figure out the best way to minsiter to his group. He, like Jason, has more life experience than me so it's great to hear him talk about where he's been and what he's been up to. He's also well connected when it comes to other youth minsiters and ministers in gerenal.
Me? I get to be in the bottom rung: youngest and least experience. Being on the bottom has it's advantages. You get to learn from the other guys and what they've already been through. It helps to not make their mistakes (or to learn what they did when they made your mistakes) and get through with their advice. Like I said, I've really valued getting to know these two guys and minister with them. I'm really looking forward to getting to know them more!
By Ronald Long
As C.S. Lewis described in his books "The Chronicles of Narnia," the shadowlands were the partial world we live in before eternity.
Today for some reason I feel the difference more than ever between the world in which we live and the longing for the world that is to come. I so desperately wish to be home. Not my house on Britt Rd, not even the place my parents live in Madison. I want to be in Heaven with my maker. I desire to be in His presence. That would mean no more tears, no more pain, and praise God no more sin.
I wish the youth we minister to here would see the difference between the world in which they and I live and the world of promise. I wish homework, sports, girlfriends, boyfriends, popularity, and everything else would be put into its rightful place: somewhere towards the bottom. How little these things will matter in eternity!
God help me and give me the strength to live here in this land until you call me home. God enable me to communicate my dissatisfaction with this life and help it to be understood by the ears it falls on.
I know God has purpose in keeping me here. I understand quite well that I am to fulfill whatever God has for me on this Earth. I hope that I can humbly meet every challenge He allows to come my way. I pray that those around me would understand that this world is not the best God has to offer us.
This is not our home! Praise God.
