TEACHING REVIVAL

Dr. John Oswalt gave up a weekend to minister to the Goldsboro Wesleyan Church. He preached Friday and Saturday nights and both services on Sunday. The stand out event for me was the Saturday morning teaching on the Book of First John. Dr. Oswalt has given his life to Biblical scholarship. More importantly, Dr. Oswalt has given his life to Jesus Christ. Thus, John Oswalt has a great heart and a great mind...a rare combination.

Would we expect less, than teaching on total obedience to Jesus, by a man who has surrendered his life to the Son of God? Dr. Oswalt's life is a blessing to all that come in contact with him. Your life and my life can also make a difference. We can trust God, in the most practical way possible...with our lives. Everything committed to God is stamped with Divine Greatness. Finish strong! Pastor Al

Not Just Another Saturday - Let's Go!

Not EVERYTHING we get at the post office is junk mail. When I received an invitation to join a group of pastors on a re-fueling operation...I adjusted my schedule! Now, I am going to share a few quick posts to share the excitement.

They told us to dress warm...so we did. Our service personnel prepared us for each step of the way. Those not in uniform, are probably pastors. They provided us with temporary IDs, but we were not hard to pick out.


Just remember. You can't take off unless you get on board. Here we go...it's flight time!

Not Just Another Saturday - Crew Chief

While the pilots 'do their thing' somebody has to take charge of the rest of the plane.

The crew chief constantly monitors the mechanics of the plane, the cargo, and who ever happens to be behind the cockpit. I guess that includes me. All I know is that...when he spoke...we responded. Don't let that smile fool you!

Here he is showing me how to enter the tail of the plane, where is action is going to take place. Are you ready?

Not Just Another Saturday - Who's in Charge?

Wish I could tell you my seat was in the cockpit...no such luck! However, I have been known to give some back seat advice. They told me, "Leave the driving to us!"

Our pilots have dedicated their careers in being worthy of our trust. We will soon see the skill demonstrated by this flying team.

Rarely can we accomplish great things alone. We surround ourselves with people dedicated to a higher commitment. Are you on the team?

Not Just Another Saturday - Up Close & Personal

Flights can be routine, but the appearance of this C-17 made this flight special. I have never seen a refueling operation in progress. First-things-first, you have to get up close and personal.

Both planes are moving pretty fast...they have to get in sync. Things are not really going to happen at this distance. We are talking about flying close.

Risk for the right reasons has it's reward. The hard part is knowing when & Who to trust.

Not Just Another Saturday - Mission Accomplished

The boom operator has to connect with the other plane...which is the whole point of the mission. Planes can fly non-stop around the world because of this fleet of re-fuelers. Do you ever need refueling? The connection is there. God is seeking to give you new life.

Thanks for sharing the flight with me. Thanks to the men and women who serve our nation, particularly the 916th Refueling Wing. Please keep them all in your prayers. Pastor Al

'GROWING FAVOR' - Feb. 3rd

Have you noticed how some people seem to grow spiritually...in a dramatic way? My wife and I have noted several people like that this past year. This type of growth makes ministry exciting. Where does it come from? How can I grow like that?

"And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." (Luke 2:52, NIV). Jewish boys became responsible religious citizens at the age of twelve. This verse comes right after that celebration visit to the Temple at Jerusalem. These few words describe his next eighteen years.

The word growth used in this quote notes the struggle, that a young adult goes through, toward maturity. This is growth that takes purposeful effort. I'm now taking a masters program on-line. Can you feel my pain...as I attempt to grow? If you didn't get all your growth in your teen years...there's hope! Keep at it.

Favor is the key word in Jesus' personal development. It is connected to the word grace...or undeserved favor. God does for us...things we can not do for ourselves. However, the word favor can signal the recognition given to us for our best efforts. I like to think of favor as the influence that opens doors. God can open doors for us and He can influence both friends and enemies to open doors for us. God is the Source of favor.

Favor is also connected to the word face. Have you ever seen someone's face light up when they really favored a friend? I met someone I should of recognized about two weeks ago...my face had a puzzled look...I fell out of favor! When we favor, we tend to look someone squarely in the face...there is a connection taking place.

When Jesus died on the Cross for our sin...to pay a debt we could not pay...we call that grace. When God turned His eyes from his son Jesus...who became sin for us...God turned his Face toward us in a new way. Because of Christ...a distant God is now Our Father. When we seek favor...we seek the Face of God.

FLAME - Answer to Prayer

We are back from a great trip to Table Rock, South Carolina. Marshall, Al, Larry & I spent three days at this life changing event. FLAME stands for the Fellowship of Leaders Acquiring Ministerial Education. Why would three laymen go with their pastor to a ministerial training program? Because lay persons should all be in ministry at some level. And...by the way, ladies are strongly encouraged to attend. We acquired new skills together and we will work at our local church together. That excites me! However, the guys went for a higher purpose...their desire is to serve God. Thanks for your prayers. Are YOU coming with us next time?