Come to Brownwood's Annual Community Easter Sunrise Service

I am blessed once again to bring the message at the annual Community Easter Sunrise Service, which will be at 7 am Sunday, April 16, at the Stuart and Margaret Coleman Plaza (the Depot Pavilion) in downtown Brownwood, TX. I would love to see you there.

Roll Me Away!

"Took a look down a west-bound road,
and right away I made my choice,
Headed out to my big two-wheeler, 
I was tired of my own voice,
took a bead on those Northern Plains 
and just rolled that power on." 

- Bob Seger, "Roll Me Away"

Okay, I admit it. Over the past two months, I have come to understand the fascination with motorcycles that so many of my friends and family members have... freedom! Maybe it's the amount of time I spend at work, maybe it's summer and I have a house full of kids, or maybe I just need a real vacation... whatever the reason, I have found myself in a never ending Southwest Airlines commercial... "Wanna get away?"

I have friends who have itinerant ministries... they travel from place to place, from church to church, holding revival meetings, VBS events, camps, etc. What a life, huh? Be able to travel the U.S., or even the world, working for the Lord and having one big adventure. (Truth be told, they'd probably tell you it's not all it's cracked up to be.)

Meanwhile, every scripture I read, every radio sermon I hear, every conversation I have, seems to remind me of one fundamental fact... God is not finished with me in Brownwood... I am to stay right here, and honor my commitment to Him, and allow Him to work through me and Grace Pointe to minister to the people of Brownwood... oh, look at how pretty that sun looks setting behind Bangs Hill... maybe I'll just take a drive...

Basically, I just need to get my mind back on my business.

Romans 14:23 says "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Anything you do that is in disobedience to God, or that even disregards God, is a sin.

In this case, my sin is not being thankful for the blessings God has given me, and not being thankful for the things that He has done in Brownwood. Further, my sin is not completely trusting Him to bring Grace Pointe to a point where she is self-supporting... not trusting Him with the results... not trusting Him to bless His own work. There have also been times I have failed to recognize His hand in Grace Pointe's successes. I could confess more, but my father once told me that inner-most thoughts are called that for a reason, and many times, it's best that they stay that way. (Not exactly canonized scripture, but Dad does have a point every now and then).

I share this to warn you. Temptation doesn't always come in the form of an enticement to commit an act of immorality... it's not always an enticement toward sexual sin, greed, anger, theft or even murder. Sometimes, Satan tempts us by luring us into disobeying what God has called us to do with our lives.

When Satan tempted Jesus, he tempted the Lord to do three things. (1) Make the stones into bread. (2) Jump off the pinnacle of the temple to see if the angels would catch Him, and (3) to bow down and worship Satan. Each of these three temptations would have derailed God's plan of Salvation through the Gospel. Nevertheless, in Christ was no sin, and the Lord stayed obedient to the plan.

In the same way, Satan often tempts us to stray from what God wants us to do. If we fall for that temptation, we can derail our lives and miss God's blessings. To fall for this temptation is just as much of a sin as if you had fallen into immorality. Remember, after you are saved, the most Satan can do is destroy your testimony and render you useless in this life. If he can't get you to fall into immorality, he'll get you to do something that will silence your voice for the Lord. Be on guard.

He Began a Good Work

Our little red brick building on West Commerce may not
look like much, but God has done amazing things to bring
us this far, and He has far greater things in store
for our future

Everyday I wake up thinking the same thing... "We have to reach more people."

In 2007, God called me to uproot my family from East Texas, and move to the West Central Texas town of Brownwood to start a new church. I felt funny explaining my calling to potential employers and contacts in Brownwood, because anyone who has been there knows there is a Baptist church on just about every corner. Still, God compelled my wife and I to move to Brownwood and begin ministering to the community.

What we learned upon arriving in Brownwood is that, despite the best efforts of some of the best churches around, there are still lost people in Brownwood who need the Lord, who are receptive to His word.

From the moment we moved to town, God has guided every step. He led us to our first visitors (our neighbors). He led us to the first place we held worship services (Brownwood Apartments Phase II Community Room). He led us to our first members. He guided my secular employment in ways that have raised Grace Pointe's visibility in Brownwood. Every step of the way, God has been there.

So here we are, 4 1/2 years after arriving in Brownwood. I've gone from just a new resident, to news director for the #1 radio station in town (KOXE 101.3 FM), where I also get to host a Sunday morning program about Jesus. Furthermore, Grace Pointe has a solid group of core members. Our youth ministry is going strong, and there is a good spirit among the members.

The Brownwood Apts. Phase II community room,
Where it all started

Yet, everyday, I wake up concerned... I am concerned about the health of the church, and I am concerned that we are not reaching enough people. Then, the other day, while reading my Bible at Riverside Park, it hit me. I didn't wake up one morning in East Texas and decide to move to Brownwood to start a church. God called me to Brownwood, shortly after Sunday morning services at Denson Springs MBC in Slocum, Texas. Not only did He call me, he confirmed that calling through things that happened with some of our ministries there, and through conversations with church members. And just to let me know that Denson Springs would be okay after I resigned the pastorate there, God added many people to that church right after I left. Once in Brownwood, He took over, and made things happen.

God is in control of things, and He reminded me of that this week. He has great things in store for Grace Pointe, and He is bringing those things about right now. All we have to do is keep moving forward, trusting Him, and following His lead.

Philippians 1:6 - Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Gospel Glory, the Entire Series

Wednesday Night World of Blessings

Kids work on their crafts during a Wednesday night class
at Grace Pointe Missionary Baptist Church in Brownwood.

Growing up in Jacksonville, Texas, Wednesday nights were a special time. Our youth group would meet at church at 6 p.m., with the boys participating in the Galileans program, and the girls joining the Girls' Auxiliary. Both programs trained up the youth for future church service. Though I was not yet a Christian, I attended the Galileans, and even advanced in their program. The things I learned in that program came to life when I was later saved and surrendered to the ministry.

Today, Wednesday night attendance at churches is sparse. At Grace Pointe Missionary Baptist Church, we are likely to have 20 in attendance, but 15 of those in attendance will be children. Most of the children receive rides to church by youth volunteers (namely, my wife). We are blessed at Grace Pointe to have a man who teaches the adults while my wife and I teach the children.

The decline in Wednesday night attendance is due mostly to a cultural shift. As time goes on, life goes faster, and people as having trouble finding the time to go to church. Children have a myriad of activities, and Wednesday nights are no longer off limits to baseball/softball practice, school athletic events, drama practice or other extra-curricular activities. I'm not trying to stir controversy, just stating how things are.

Despite the things that compete for the time, hearts and minds of people, some churches are still enjoying good attendance on Wednesday evenings. Some churches have begun having fellowship meals on Wednesday evenings, and others focus on auxiliary and Bible club meetings. Even if attendance is not very high, Wednesday night services can still offer church members the opportunity to fellowship during the week and get a little more Bible study accomplished.

At Grace Pointe, we are entering an exciting new chapter in our Wednesday night services. Bro. B.R. Teague has begun teaching the adults while Jessica and I teach the kids. Starting next week, we will unveil a new program entitled, "Jesus, the One and Only," an in-depth study of the life of Christ for kids in First through Sixth Grades. This is exciting. After getting to teach ALL of the kids tonight, I have learned that they know a lot about the Bible. Jessica has done well.

Do you attend church on Wednesdays? Does your church offer any Wednesday night services/programs?

Wednesday night services at Grace Pointe begin at 6:30 p.m.

Mission: Brownwood October 2010 Report



Grace Pointe members observe a baptismal service at the lake.

Grace Pointe Attendance Rebounds in October

After having our average Sunday morning attendance hover in the mid to upper teens over the summer, we finally hit 20 in October. Sunday evening attendance averaged 13, our highest Sunday evening attendance since we started holding evening services in July, and Wednesday services held steady at 13. While we don't live and die by attendance numbers at Grace Pointe, seeing increased averages blesses us because it is indicative of more believers becoming true disciples.

Door-to-Door Visitation Results in One Soul Saved

During our weekly door-to-door visitation, Bro. Randy Kelso and I were able to lead one man to the Lord. Please pray that more people would be receptive to the Gospel. We have not even canvassed 25 percent of Brownwood yet, but have seen 18 souls saved over the two years we have been here.

Radio Ministry Gets Underway

Beginning November 4, 60-second Gospel messages sponsored by Grace Pointe began airing on local radio station The Breeze 96.9 KQBZ. The Breeze is our local Adult Contemporary station, very popular among locals who are under 40, and our messages air at 7:50 a.m. as parents are dropping kids off for school. Below is the audio to one of the messages. More can be found on our facebook page.

It's Association Time Again

I will be attending the Missionary Baptist Association of Texas Meeting Nov 15-17. During this meeting, I need your support. (a) Grace Pointe will be nominated for the State Ladies Auxiliary Mission Project. We are trying to finish out the third year of our three-year plan to be self-supporting. West Texas needs churches, and Grace Pointe aims to fill that need as soon as we become self supporting. (b) I will be up for state support again this year. We have rolled back our requested support amount from $3,058 to $2,800 this year. This will be the last year we request state support.

And (c) while not a part of the association meeting, Grace Pointe is on the TMD ballot this quarter. We would greatly appreciate your vote. There are currently two church buildings on the market ranging in price from $150,000 to $200,000. TMD funds would take us a long way toward reaching our fundraising goals to purchase a facility.

Sunday Morning:
10/3/10 - 21
10/10/10 - 19
10/17/10 - 18
10/24/10 - 19
10/31/10 - 23

Sunday Evening:
10/3/10 - 18
10/10/10 - 9
10/17/10 - 13
10/24/10 - 14
10/31/10 - 11

Wednesday Evening
10/6/10 - 12
10/13/10 - 9
10/20/10 - 12
10/27/10 - 14

I Preach Christ Crucified... Got a Problem with That?

Following another wonderful Sunday morning service at Grace Pointe MBC in Brownwood, I was approached by a church member who said, "These people in this congregation are all saved. We don't need salvation messages, we need messages about Christian living."

I'm not going to lie, when someone criticizes my preaching (especially the sermon topic), my flesh gets all riled up. So that particular morning, I chose not to engage the conversation. I simply said, "okay," and moved on.

You see, at Grace Pointe, we study through books of the Bible during our Sunday morning, evening and Wednesday night sermons. On Sunday mornings, we study Luke. On Sunday evenings, we study 1 John. On Wednesday evenings, we study Revelation. What I preach about is determined by the text that comes up next in the book we are studying. So, it should come as no surprise that an overwhelming majority of the sermons preached at Grace Pointe Missionary Baptist Church are centered around the Gospel, for the Gospel is the central message of the Bible. Furthermore, we need to be more committed to preaching the Word of God (the Gospel, as recorded and taught in scripture) because the general public has no concept of the Gospel and God's plan of salvation. (If you don't believe me, go out and knock 10 doors of complete strangers in your neighborhood, ask how to be saved, and record the answers.)

In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Paul said, "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"

Typically, we use these verses to define the Gospel. That Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures, that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures. The Gospel had already been foretold by the Old Testament scriptures, and those Old Testament scriptures are what Paul referred to when he preached the Gospel.

Acts 17:2-3 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

Not only did Paul preach the Gospel when he was evangelizing, it was his central message. 1 Corinthians 1:23 says "We preach Christ crucified."

While the Bible does address issues like being a good husband, father, or a wife and mother, or being a good child, or a good employer/employee, the overwhelming majority of the Bible conveys the message of the Gospel and how God uses the obedience of His people for His honor and glory. Furthermore, the Bible also conveys how God rewards those who are faithful. To abandon the message of the Gospel for a series of "how to be the best ______ you can be" sermons is to turn away from the message of God's word and relegate the Holy Scriptures to a bargain bin self help book like thousands of man-made philosophies lining the shelves of bookstores everywhere.

"But what about the meat of the Word, shouldn't we get beyond salvation to the meat?" You ask.

First of all, scripture does not get any deeper than Jesus Christ (Thank you Roger Copeland for pointing that out.) Secondly, a deeper study of the Bible will always lead to a deeper understanding of the Gospel. The book of Hebrews admonished Hebrew believers for being stuck on the milk of the word... not that they didn't know a lot of scripture, but that they didn't have a thorough understanding of God's grace to the point that they would leave their old religion of sacrifices and rituals behind. Perhaps the reason we have generations of baby Christians who never mature is that we (a) never move beyond the "Here's how to be saved, Admit, Believe and Confess" sermons, and (b) if we do, we preach on some obscure theological point that will not help a person walk with God. The deeper the believer understands the Gospel, the more mature the believer will be in his faith, the more meat the believer can handle, and the stronger that believer's faith will be.

Therefore, as long as God blesses me with a preaching ministry, I plan to continue to preach through books of the Bible, thus preaching the whole counsel of God, and also placing emphasis on what God placed emphasis in His word.

Mission: Brownwood July 2010 Report

Grace Pointe Enjoys Successful Summer Month

July saw Grace Pointe hold their first revival meeting (led by Bro. James Snyder of Central MBC in Jonesboro, LA), its third VBS (with a high attendance of 19 children), two professions of faith, one baptism and one addition by statement.

Ramping up Our Efforts

Grace Pointe has three major projects we are working on right now in an effort to reach the unchurched of Brownwood, TX, and eventually grow to be self-supporting. (1) We are currently going door-to-door sharing the Gospel and distributing tracts. When we finish giving out the current batch of tracts, we will have given out 3,000 Chick Tracts. That means that roughly 15% of Brownwood residents have received a Chick tract from us, not including the 15,000 people who received tracts from us at last year’s Brownwood Reunion. (2) We are also preparing to spread the Gospel at this year’s Brownwood Reunion. For this outreach, I plan to purchase 10,000 custom printed tracts for $920 shipping included. On average, this event is attended by 15,000 people. (3) We are looking to raise funds to acquire a worship facility. More on this to be posted in the near future.
By The Numbers:

Attendance:

Sunday Morning:

7/4 - 16 ($516)
7/11 - 16 ($145.50)
7/18 - 14 ($61)
7/25 - 14 ($500)

Sunday Evening:

7/4 - 12
7/11 - 13
7/18 - 16
7/25 - 10

Income:
Offerings: $1,222.50
Memorial MBC (Rusk, TX) $50
Marvin Acker (Jacksonville) $100
Roy & Cynthia McMullin $25
TM and Eloise Jones $25
Jim Slocumb ; $100
Northcrest MBC (Andrews, TX) $69.25
Arp First Baptist (Arp, TX) $120

Expenses:
Rent: $600
Sound System: $432.99
Leland Acker: $200
Brownwood Water: $84.51
James Snyder (Revivalist) $500
Lake Brownwood State Park (Baptismal Service) $27
VBS Budget (Details provided as soon as available) $500
Checks: $32.67
VBS Banner: $96
VBS Booklets: $192.50
Rich Cone A/C Repair: $298.50
TXU: $144.75

Mission Fund
Support:
MBA of Texas $3,058
Rocky Springs MBC (Jacksonville, TX) $515
Denson Springs MBC (Grapeland, TX) $100
White Rock MBC (Center, TX) $100
Heritage MBC (Missouri City, TX) $200

Expenses:
Leland Acker Salary + Housing: $3,622
Building Materials $279.93
Newspaper Ad for Revival $97.50
Revival $451.51
Outreach Luncheon $120
VBS supplies $373.67

Getting down to the Nitty Gritty in Revelation

We are studying the book of Revelation at Grace Pointe MBC in Brownwood, TX. For the past few months, we have been studying the seven churches of Asia, and the significance of the contents of God's throne room as is described in Revelation 4-5. This week, we begin chapter 6, which depicts the opening of the seals and the events that unfold during the Tribulation, the seven year period at the end of our current era also known as Daniel's 70th week.

At this point of the study, members at Grace Pointe will expect to hear teaching regarding the timing of the events of the seven-year tribulation. Growing up, I was always taught the following order of things:

1. The Rapture occurs.
2. The seven-year tribulation begins.
3. The four horsemen of Revelation 6 appear.
4. The two witnesses appear at the Temple or temple mount in Jerusalem.
5. The "Wrath of the Lamb" worldwide earthquake.
6. The Anti-Christ, who has appeared on the scene at some point during all this, assumes power.
7. The Anti-Christ is assassinated, but then healed.
8. The two witnesses are assassinated, then resurrect after three days in full view of the entire world.
9. The final 3.5 years of the Tribulation, known as "The Great Tribulation," begin.
10. The mark of the beast, total war, total judgment, total destruction, Christ returns and establishes His kingdom.

However, as a result of my personal study, and some teachings I received in seminary, I have concluded that the above list is inaccurate. First of all, in all passages of end time prophecy, the rapture is not mentioned. (The rapture is only described in 1 Thessalonians, and briefly in Matthew 24). Furthermore, I find it interesting that there is no mention of the Rapture in Revelation before the opening of the seals, which tells me that there is no Rapture that occurs before the Tribulation begins.

Furthermore, the two witnesses are not mentioned until Revelation 11. They will prophesy 1,260 days (or 3 1/2 Jewish calendar years.) The Antichrist (The beast) will be given power for 42 months (3 1/2 years).

This information, along with the understanding of the purpose of Daniel's 70th week (to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, and to reconcile God to His people, the Jews... Daniel 9:24), we find that the contemporary Christian understanding of the Tribulation is incorrect. Most Christians understand that the seven-year tribulation is God's wrath executed upon an unbelieving world. According to scripture (Daniel 9:24), the purpose is to bring Israel to repentance.

The fact that the Tribulation will be brought about to bring Israel to repentance means that it is not ALL God's wrath being poured out on the earth, meaning that God's children, those who know Jesus as Savior, will in fact endure at least part of the Tribulation. Scriptural evidence of this includes the martyrs mentioned in Revelation 6:9-11 and Revelation 7:9-16.

As for the two witnesses, I am thinking that their prophetic ministry happens during the last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation, the Great Tribulation. Why? First of all, when they minister. Revelation 11:1 tells John to measure the Temple of God, meaning the Temple will exist during the duration of the ministry of the two witnesses. Secondly, they witness for 3 1/2 Jewish years... the exact length of time of the Great Tribulation (the second half of Daniel's 70th week). Thirdly, the entire world rejoices at their demise... meaning that the world believes that its trouble is over because the two witnesses are gone. Notice also that 1 Thessalonians 5:3 says the world will say "peace and safety," then sudden destruction comes upon them. That is exactly what will happen at the end of the Tribulation.

As for the timing of the Rapture, I think I have found a passage in Revelation 14:14-20:

Rev 14:14-20 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. 17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

In this passage, you have one on the cloud like unto the Son of Man with a sickle, who reaps at the cry of the first angel who comes out of the Temple (the Rapture of the Saints?), and another angel who came out of the Temple with a sharp sickle who gathers the grapes of the earth (the fruit of the world, the unsaved) at the cry of the angel from the altar.

This incident happens immediately before the last seven plagues in Revelation 15, which are filled up with the wrath of God. If the rapture is in fact in Revelation 14, then it still occurs before the wrath of God is poured out upon the earth, thus we are still not appointed unto wrath.

With this (and many other thoughts in mind) my new timeline is as follows:

1. The seven year Tribulation (Daniel's 70th Week) begins at the signing of a covenant between the man who will go on to become the Beast (the Antichrist) and Israel. The covenant (probably will be called a treaty) will be a seven year treaty. (Daniel 9:27)
2. The seven seals and the 144,000 sealed.
3. The seven trumpets.
4. The midpoint - the two witnesses emerge and the beast (Antichrist) assumes power after having a fatal wound healed. The talking statue and the mark of the beast begin.
5. Rapture
6. Wrath (seven plagues and seven vials).
7. Fall of Babylon.
8. Marriage supper of the Lamb
9. 1,000 year reign.
10. Destruction of Satan.
11. Final judgment.
12. New Heaven and New Earth, New Jerusalem.

One objection some will have to this timeline is the timing of the rapture. Paul wrote that it would be at the last trump. It is possible that the seven trumps extend beyond the midpoint of the Tribulation. Regardless of the accuracy of my timeline, God's timeline is set and secure. This means that regardless of the timing of the rapture, God's saints will endure persecution and times are set to get harder. Be prepared and shore up your faith through the study of God's word (Romans 10:17).

I am not an end times expert, nor a scholar in the book of Revelation. These are conclusions I am basing on a study of Revelation in and of itself, with a background of having previously studied Daniel. Should you have any thoughts to offer, corrections to make, or arguments to advance, feel free to do so, as long as all is done in brotherly love and is supported by scripture in context. 

Ken Sibley on America

During Grace Pointe's youth revival, Ken Sibley discussed faith and America. So far, after two days, we are averaging 20, have three professions of faith, one rededication, one confirmation (they wanted to confirm they were saved).

Market Place Apartments Outreach

Every 1st, 3rd and 5th Sunday evening at 4 p.m., I meet with residents of the Market Place apartment complex for an hour-long Bible study. Usually, between 12 and 15 residents will attend this study. Four are members at Grace Pointe, while the rest just attend the Market Place studies.

This ministry at this complex is a blessing, not only for me, but I can see God working in the lives of the residents as well. The faithful support of our sister churches and the MBA of Texas allow me the time to perform ministries like this, and for that, I truly thank you.

Grace Pointe launches YouTube channel.

In the spirit of using all the available resources God has given us to spread the Gospel, I decided to start posting devotions and scriptural, Spiritual encouragement on YouTube. Be sure to tell me what you think, and if you are so inclined, please feel free to post a link on your blog. Also, all videos will be available for imbedding, so by the off chance I say something you like, you can post it on your blog as well.

The link to the Grace Pointe YouTube channel is here.

Mission: Brownwood Jan. 2010 Report

Mission: Brownwood returns to Market Place

In January, I was invited by the residents to hold a Bible study at the community room of the Market Place apartment complex. We had 15 in attendance the first week, 8 the second, and 12 the third week. We hold these studies every first, third and fifth Sunday at 4 p.m. Currently, we are studying the book of Ephesians.

Grace Pointe gets “on mission”

Beginning in January, we have begun canvassing northwest Brownwood. We are going door-to-door and handing out tracts in public places. These outreach efforts have brought us into contact with many who need prayer, and reminded us of the need to carry out the Gospel into Brownwood, Texas.

Furthermore, Grace Pointe is showing interest in becoming active in missions. We have Bro. Jason Clark (missionary to France) visiting with us Feb. 21, and Bro. Ben Woodward (missionary to Belize) visiting with us April 11.

Grace Pointe has also upped its mission giving from 10% to 12% of total offerings, dividing the mission budget evenly between TMD, state missions, ABA interstate and foreign missions, and Bro. Abel Dimatulac (missionary to the Philippines).

New PO Box for Grace Pointe

We have a new mailing address for Grace Pointe. Please address all correspondence to me personally, or to Grace Pointe MBC, PO Box 1828, Brownwood, TX 76804.

Upcoming Dates

Southwest Mission Rally (Quaker Ave in Lubbock) April 24
Vacation Bible School: June 7-11
Summer Revival: July 5-9
Southwest Mission Rally (Wyndrock MBC in Abilene) July 31
Southwest Mission Rally (Grace Pointe in Brownwood) Oct 30

By The Numbers:

Sunday Morning

1/3 - 11
1/10 - 14
1/17 - 21
1/24 - 14
1/31 - 15

Wednesday Evening

1/6 - 12
1/13 - 12
1/20 - 10
1/27 – 11

Finances

Offerings - $2,001.05 ($25 designated for Bro. Acker and $80 designated for Ladies Auxiliary)
Memorial MBC (Rusk, TX) $100
Memorial MBC (Rusk, TX) $50
Landmark MBC (Porter, TX) $88
Jim Slocumb (Jacksonville) $100
Northcrest MBC (Andrews,TX) $61.78
Northcrest MBC (Andrews, TX) $68.82
Donna Prasatik (Grapeland, TX) $300

Expenses:

Rent: $600
Brownwood Water: $84.51 (Dec)
Texas Mission Development: $86.39
MBA of Texas (State Missions): $86.39
Leland Acker: $100
Leland Acker: $25 (designated offering)
PO Box Rental: $58
VBS Sample Kit: $208
Ken & Barbara Sibley: $200 (toward Haiti trip)
Brownwood Water: $84.51 (Jan)
TXU Energy: $87.24
Transfer to Ladies Auxiliary: $80
Banking: $3

Mission: Brownwood Account

Deposits:
Missionary Bapt. Assn of TX $3,058
Denson Springs MBC (Grapeland, TX) $100
Heritage Baptist Church (Missouri City, TX) $200
White Rock MBC (Center, TX) $100
Memory Lane MBC (Palestine, TX) $50
East Side Baptist Church (Jacksonville, TX) $100
Rocky Springs MBC (Jacksonville, TX) $200
Bassett Road Baptist Church (Palestine, TX) $75
RidgeCrest MBC (Andrews, TX) $25
Wyndrock MBC (Abilene, TX) $40
Quaker Ave. BC (Lubbock, TX) $100
58th Ave MBC (Amarillo, TX) $110.25
Hickory Grove MBC (Newport, AR) $48.54
First Baptist Church (Arp, TX) $120

Expenses
Salary + Housing $3,822
Outreach $103.66
Benevolence $100
Lights and signage $63.23
Curtain Rods $9.45
New Checks $41
Home Depot (building supplies) $203.54

Brownwood Reunion Photos

The Brownwood Coliseum, home to the NCAA DIII National Champion Howard Payne Lady Jackets, the Reunion Classic Car Show, and the Carnival

Reunion visitors peruse Exhibitor's Row, where our booth was set up. We passed out more than 3,000 pieces of literature, and made approximately 400 contacts through our photo ministry.

The News/Talk 96.9 Station Van, appearing in the Reunion Parade. Yeah, it's a shameless self-plug.
Our very own Cooper the Dog, the star of the Brownwood Reunion. (Yeah, step aside Tracy Lawrence... :) )
Gordon Wood Stadium, as the Brownwood Lions wrap up a whooping over Liberty Hill. Go Lions. (This shot was actually taken by Ashley, a young lady my wife works with at the apartments.)

Guiding Principles

Yesterday, Jessica and I had a rather in-depth discussion over dinner at Dairy Queen. We discussed the direction we'd like to see the mission go, and the things necessary for the mission to have an impact on the city of Brownwood. Over the course of the conversation, I identified five possible guiding principles for Grace Pointe. They are:

• Everyone deserves to hear the Gospel (see Romans 1:14).
• Every member proclaims the Gospel.
• Every church sends missionaries.
• Every member supports the church's ministry.
• Every household in Brownwood gets evangelized.

Jessica also identified some core practices, such as Service, Witnessing, Application and Teaching (or Training)... to form the acronymn, SWAT. She is developing a program for the ladies auxiliary, and I think SWAT will be the core values there.

All that being said, we will be canvassing north Brownwood neighborhoods this week, and have two major outreach events approaching.

1. National Back to Church Sunday on Sept. 13.
2. Brownwood Reunion Weekend Sept. 18-20.

I've been told that Grace Pointe MBM is off to a great start... but I don't feel like we've really gotten started. I am amazed at how far the mission has come in the past year, and I anxiously anticipate how amazed I'll be this time next year.

Hello, old friend

It's been more than a month since I've blogged. While I enjoy writing and sharing my thoughts and the exploits of the core believers at Grace Pointe, things have been ridiculously hectic over the past two and a half months.

We moved into the rented building at the end of May and held our first services there the first Sunday in June. We immediately went to work refurbishing the back rooms (now a kitchen and fellowship hall, both of which can double as classrooms.) We spent a lot of money at Home Depot and several late nights painting walls and installing floor base (also called baseboard.)

Brothers Mike and John Johnson installed new vinyl composition flooring in the back rooms, as well as carpet in the hallway and nursery.

At the beginning of July, Jessica, the kids and I had to go to Colorado to care for Jessica's mother. We were there for two weeks. While it wasn't really a vacation (we were doing home health), we did enjoy a slowed down pace of life for a while, and got to see the top of Pike's Peak. While I was in Colorado, the operations of KSTA basically fell apart, especially in regard to Sunday programming. One Sunday, the WireReady automation software failed to load the Sunday programs... which is not all that uncommon... but no one caught it until well into the day. Other problems later arose when the person responsible for recording the programs failed to record them in the proper file format.

This is one of the latest in a long series of frustrations that has hindered our mission work. The inability of the station to properly operate during automated hours causes me to have to spend my "off time" (which is when I do the mission work) repairing issues with the radio station.

Three Sundays were horribly botched, and that has had a negative effect on the well being of the station. So, when I returned to Brownwood, I had that mess to clean up... as well as preparations for the Southwest Mission Rally and VBS.

The Southwest Mission Rally went very well. Following a great weekend of fellowship, we hurriedly resumed VBS planning, and finding that a number of our volunteers were falling off due to various reasons, we had to reformat VBS to be more of a youth seminar/presentation than a VBS. Think of it as church camp where the kids go home every night. Attendance has fluctuated at VBS, ranging from six to 22 kids.

Church attendance at the mission is struggling as well. A lot of the regulars have become lax in their attendance, which means that I have to do more follow up, which further strains evangelism efforts.

Notwithstanding all of this, the work at Grace Pointe continues, and will continue and God will see His church established in Brownwood. As we see more challenges, we are getting together (Jessica, myself and several of the "members") and praying and adjusting to overcome the adversities. I have heard that battles never go according to the battle plan... the same holds true in mission work. A mission project never goes according to plan. There are adversities, hurdles, attacks by Satan, heartbreaks and dissappointments. However, there are also sweet victories that come when you see lives changed and souls saved. AMEN!

So, be in prayer for us. We are transitioning now to empower and enable Grace Pointe to undertake the Great Commission given to the Lord's Churches, and we are looking at ways to transform the work in Brownwood so that the mission work here becomes even more robust, and more abundant than it already has become. I feel that if we work the fields, God will give an abundant harvest... so in the traditions of our agricultural ancestors, we'll work the fields from sun up to sundown, possibly later.

Thank you for your prayers, and to our financial partners, thanks for your financial support. We'll see you in Jacksonville in October, and Denison in November. Until then, here's hoping I can keep up the Mission: Brownwood blog better.

Mission: Brownwood May 2009 Report

The top picture is of myself, my wife, a mission member and two members of Northcrest MBC of Andrews, TX, who delivered the pews. The bottom picture is of the front of the building. We have since added a 15'x4' sign to the front.

Grace Pointe MBM moves into vacant church building

May was a busy month for Grace Pointe as we worked tirelessly to get set up in the new building on U.S. 67/84, in order to have our first services June 7. Northcrest MBC of Andrews, TX, delivered our donated church pews. We spent many hours assessing the building improvement needs, getting all the paperwork in order with the city and utilities providers, and getting signs made.

Our current efforts are installing vinyl composition tile flooring in the fellowship hall and kitchen, painting and adding new carpet to the nursery, and installing the appliances. Mission members are providing the labor, so the only expense we are incurring has been for materials.

We also spent money on promoting the new work through radio advertising. Our first Sunday services in the new building saw 23 in attendance, with more than $500 being collected in offerings.

Missionary Baptist Churches greatly support Brownwood work

I stand in awe at the progress we have made so far as a mission. We began having public services back in November 2008, and have grown from 5 to 23 in eight months, have rented building facilities, and are poised to make a bigger impact on Brownwood.

Much of our accomplishments were made possible by the faithful support of our sister churches.

We had no problem paying the building deposit, turning on utilities, furnishing the building, putting up signs, and promoting the work because the churches of the MBA of Texas, and one church in Arkansas have faithfully supported out work financially and prayerfully.

Thank you for giving us the tools to do this work.

Attendance

Grace Pointe MBM (Sunday Mornings)

5/3 – 23
5/10 – 23
5/17 – 18
5/24 – 22
5/31 – 18

Grace Pointe MBM (Tuesday Youth)

5/5 – 21
5/12 – 16
5/19 – 12
5/26 – 9

Market Place (Wednesday Evenings)

5/6 – 10
5/13 – 10
5/20 – 11
5/27 – 11

Finances

Grace Pointe MBM
Offerings – $928
Memorial MBC (Rusk, TX) $600 (3-months)
John Nickle (Rusk, TX) $25
Southwest Assoc.Mission Rally $235.47
Cathy Copeland (Brownwood) $315
Northcrest BC (Andrews, TX) $100.37
Beacon BC (San Angelo, TX) $115
Beacon Ladies Aux $35

Expenses:
New checks - $16.33
TMD - $46.40
Texas state missions - $46.40
Benevolence - $75
Leland salary - $100
Banking - $3

Mission: Brownwood Fund
Support:
MBA of Texas $1,911
Denson Springs MBC (Grapeland) $100
Heritage BC (Missouri City, TX) $200
White Rock MBC (Center, TX) $100
58th Ave MBC (Amarillo, TX) $158.15
Bassett Rd BC (Palestine, TX) $75
Bethel MBC (Tatum, TX) $50
Quaker Ave BC (Lubbock, TX) $100
Rocky Springs MBC (Jacksonville) $200
East Side BC (Jacksonville, TX) $100
Memory Lane MBC (Palestine, TX) $50
Hickory Grove MBC (Newport, AR) $108.17
Wyndrock MBC (Abilene, TX) $40
Nevill’s Chapel MBC (Mt. Pleasant, TX) $192.21

Expenses:
Salary: $1,211
Hymnals: $419.70
Brownwood Water Dep. $100

Building Fund
Balance Forward - $300.06

Sublett Road MBC (Arlington, TX) $50
First Baptist Church (Arp, TX) $120

Ending Balance - $470.06

Another Great Sunday!

We had 23 in attendance with four of our regulars out visiting family for Mother's Day. We had one person decide to follow the Lord in Baptism. Our first Baptism is scheduled for the second Sunday afternoon in June at Lake Brownwood. Stay tuned.

News from the Battlefield

We had 21 at Awana last night, and two workers. I praise God for the numbers, but with the number of kids, ranging from 2 to 9 years of age, and only having two workers, we're going to have to retool our Awana program to better meet the needs of these kids. Hey! Anyone want to come to Brownwood and join our work?

Catching up

We had a good week at Grace Pointe. We had 23 in morning worship, had a good day in the offering plate and kicked off a new sermon series on Matthew 24. (Yes, we will break from that series on Mother's Day. Summertime is bad for series, as certain holidays arise that people expect you to preach certain messages.)

The mission is excited about the new building, and we still plan to move in in June.