Wow – what a great day we had last Sunday during our 2nd Annual Missions Celebration. Josh and Amy Bowman (IMB) did an excellent job sharing their missionary adventures during our Sunday School hour and Josh challenged us from Acts 20 to “testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Continue praying for the Bowman’s as they prepare for their next assignment. Also, as part of our Mission Celebration, Cami and Andrea opened an ApParent Project Jewelry Store made up of bracelets, necklaces, and earrings made by Haitian men and women from recycled cereal boxes. Yesterday, Cami sent a check for over $600 to Haiti as payment to the artisans. We learned earlier that the cost of one necklace feeds a family in Haiti for a week. Cami has ordered another box of jewelry and the store will be open again this Sunday. This is a powerful ministry – helping to keep families in Haiti together through training and ongoing employment.
Another big part of our Missions Celebration was the continuation of the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, which goes through December 26. Our church goal is $2,000 and as of Sunday, we are only $100 shy of the goal. Let’s strive to continue in our generosity towards this offering, and also our ongoing giving through Ocean Park. Let’s end this year and begin the next focused on giving generously and serving generously as the Lord leads.
This Sunday, we will be blessed by several beautiful Christmas specials and congregational singing. I will continue sharing from God’s word, The Mission of Christmas. I hope to see you then!

Many things have burdened my heart these past few weeks. Being in Haiti affected me greatly. My heart was broken in ways it has never been broken before. It wasn’t the poverty of the Haitians as much as my own poverty I discovered there. I realized anew that the securities of life are not found in financial freedom, but the freedom found only in Christ. I learned anew that the goal of life is not have more, but to give more. My heart was broken by God to remind me that all I need is Him, not more stuff. I am also greatly burdened for the beautiful people of Haiti as the Cholera outbreak continues to spread. As I write this, the death count is over 900 men, women, and children and rising. Join with me in praying every time you drink a glass of clean water and eat non-contaminated food. I pray that God will break our hearts today as we encounter numerous people all around us in desperate need of His grace and mercy.
Looking ahead, I am excited that IMB missionaries Joshua and Amy Bowman will be sharing with us on Sunday, December 12 during our Missions Celebration. The Bowman’s recently finished up eight years in Africa and will leave for South-East Asia in April 2011. They will share some of their missionary stories during the Sunday School hour and Joshua will preach during morning worship. Be in prayer for the Bowman’s and all our missionaries spreading the gospel across the world. Be praying how you will give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering this year to support their mission.
This past Sunday, I shared a message on Christian Stewardship. We saw in the first chapter of Ephesians that we were adopted into God’s family through the blood of Jesus Christ – We are His! All that we are and all that we have belongs to Him. In the sixth chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul wrote that we do not belong to ourselves – Christ bought us with His blood. This Sunday I will share how this truth should affect how we use what God has given us. I hope to see then!

Bad News, Good News

This past Sunday evening, I preached from Micah concerning the announcement of judgment on the people of Judah and Israel due to their continual sin against God. Micah did not come to warn them to stop this sin, but to tell them it was too late – judgment was imminent. Then, in chapter five, Micah shared some great news about the One who was to come years later. This One, Micah shared, was “from everlasting” and this “One shall be peace.” While he was proclaiming impending doom and gloom, Micah also shared about the coming of Jesus Messiah. Grace is the good news that comes after the bad. The bad news is we are sinners who deserve death and everlasting judgment in hell. The good news is Jesus died on a cross in our place to forgive our sins and rose again to give us eternal life in Him. To be a Christian, one must face the bad news through repentance before salvation comes through the good news of His grace.

In His Grace,
Russell

A Lasting Impression

I grew up in a parsonage right next to the church my dad served as pastor. While most other people had to drive to church, we only had to walk about fifty yards. I have many memories of growing up in that house. I guess I was around nine when the church decided to expand the house. A new bedroom was added for my parents, a family room, and a cement patio were also added. After the patio was poured, I took a stick and wrote my initials in the wet cement. Long after we moved from that house, my initials remained as a reminder of me. I made a lasting impression on that patio. How are you impacting your world? Wherever you go, whatever you do or say, you are making a lasting impression. Look around. There are people you know, like wet cement, who are waiting for someone to make a lasting impression in their lives. I pray that we leave the impression of love, compassion, grace, forgiveness, and mercy on the lives of others. Above all, I pray that we leave the life transforming impression of Jesus Christ.

In His Grace,
Russell

Being the Church

All around the Southern Baptist Convention, churches are being challenged to be on mission in the communities where God has placed them. This has largely been in response to a gradual decline in recent years in church membership, attendance and baptisms throughout our denomination. Sadly, it should not take a decline to awaken us to what Christ has called His church to do. Our desire must always be to make the name of Jesus known in our families, friendships, communities, nation, and into the world. I once heard a pastor say that, “anybody can go to church - Christ has called us to be the church.” I pray that Southern Baptist churches will be more engaged in the sharing of the good news of Jesus Christ, but more specifically I pray this for Ocean Park Baptist Church.

In His Grace,
Russell

Total Surrender

As I study and preach through Philippians, Paul's determination for the Gospel amazes me. Already he has suffered much loss in his life due to due preaching the offensive message of the cross. In fact he is chained to a Roman prison guard as he writes this powerful letter to the church in Philippi. Paul writes in the first chapter, "For to me to live is Christ." In Colossians Paul also wrote, "When Christ who is our life appears, then you will appear with Him in glory." Paul's life was wrapped up in Christ. He understood and lived out total surrender.

When we come to Christ we are to leave behind our old lives and follow Him, much like Peter, Andrew, James, and John as they left their nets to become fishers of men. We are to surrender all of who we are to Christ and look to Him alone as our provider. No one has ever partially surrendered, it's all or nothing. How can we say we have trusted Christ as our Savior if we haven't surrendered to Christ as our Lord? He must be both.

In His Grace,
Russell

On Being Missional

This past Saturday, several of us PrayerWalked the communities around Ocean Park. We prayed for the spiritual, physical, financial, relational, and emotional needs of those who live all around us. It was a powerful experience for all of us. What impacted me the most was when we were able to hold conversations with people as they worked in their yards. I told one man in particular that I was pastor of Ocean Park Baptist Church. He had no clue where the church was. I had to use a local car wash as a landmark before he recognized our location. This man lives less than two miles from the church.

Being missional means we see ourselves as missionaries where God has placed us. We are to live sent. Sent to our families. Sent to our neighborhoods. Sent to our jobs. Sent to our schools. Jesus has called us all to impact our worlds with His gospel. He has called Ocean Park to impact South Jacksonville Beach. I pray that as we live sent, the people around us will no longer need a landmark to recall where Ocean Park is. I pray that Jesus is proclaimed here and throughout the world. Let us make His name known!

In His Grace,
Russell

Talk is Cheap!

There was a TV commercial several years ago that used the phrase, “Put your money where your mouth is.” I later learned that phrase basically means talk is cheap, back up what you say with actions. Jesus put it this way, “If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed.” (John 8:31) He also said “If you love Me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) The only way we prove to be Jesus’ disciples and demonstrate our love for Him is by doing what He says. James challenged us to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22) Having a thorough knowledge of Scripture is important, but without application and obedience, Bible knowledge alone is useless. Remember, talk is cheap. There is a world out there waiting for us to put our money where our mouth is. Let us be people of the Book who live out its truth and point others to its Author.

In His Grace,
Russell

The Promise of Life

There are many things in this world that compete for my allegiance, time, money, and other resources. They promise me happiness and fulfillment if I only make them the focus of my affections. Still, I have learned that these are fleeting promises that blow away like leaves in the wind. Only Jesus Christ can fully satisfy the longings of my heart. It is only in His grace and mercy that I have the promise of eternal and abundant life with Him. Please, never settle for the stuff of this world. Instead, place your life in the hands of the One who loves you more than life itself. Give yourself to Jesus. He has promised to never leave you nor forsake you. If you would like to know more about life in Jesus, please email me at oceanpark@bellsouth.net.

In His Grace,
Russell

Rain Falls on Us All

As we continue to react to the horrific situation in Haiti, I am reminded of the sorrows closer to home. Today, one of our church members will say her final goodbyes to her sister. Yesterday, a daughter placed her mother in the care of hospice. And another church member just returned from Idaho where she spent several weeks with her terminally ill sister until she passsed. One thing I have learned about life is that you can't take it for granted. The sun shines bright in our lives, but the rain will also fall on us all. But as the rain falls, so does the loving grace of God into our hurting hearts. Even if my faith falters as the winds blow, I am so thankful that I stand on the strong foundation of His loving grace and mercy. Thank you Lord!

In His Grace,
Russell

Pray For and Financially Support Haiti

This Sunday, January 17, there will be a special offering taken for relief efforts underway in Haiti following the tragic earthquake on Tuesday. Andrea Benton will also be sharing the latest updates of how things are at the orphanage and school near Cabaret. Please be in prayer for the people of Haiti and plan to give generously on Sunday.

In His Grace,

Russell

Two New Message Series

I am finishing up sermon prep for the first messages of two new series starting this Sunday, January 10.

In the mornings we will be walking through the beginnings of the church in a verse by verse study of Acts of the Apostles. The goal is to learn and apply the truth that our extraordinary God uses ordinary people to carry out His mission in the world.

In the evenings we will take a close up look at the kingdom parables of Jesus in Matthew's Gospel. We will be challenged and confronted by the powerful stories Jesus shared and learn how applicable they are still today.

As we begin this new year, let's make diving deeper into God's Word our top priority. Everything that concerns us in this life is dealt with in Scripture. These wonderful pages offer life transforming truth to those who read, learn, apply, and obey its contents. I hope to see you Sunday as we begin this journey through Acts and Matthew.

In His Grace,
Russell

Confessions of a Practical Atheist

This past Sunday, I preached out of James 4 and asked, "What is your life?" Of course James tells us that our life is nothing but a vapor - like your breath on a cold morning. We often get so caught up in the cares of this life. We make all these plans and dreams often without even seeking God's face. We never know what is coming around the bend, but we serve a God who does. I have to confess, that even though I do believe God is here, there are times that I live as if I don't. I have been a practical atheist. How about you? Have you already figured 2010 out? Have your plans, dreams, career, etc become your focus? Or have you surrendered everything to the Lordship of Jesus Christ? Decide right now to make every day this year count by giving every day to Him.

In His Grace,
Russell