Discipleship

This week we begin a new slate of Sunday evening discipleship classes. When People Are Big And God Is Small, based on the book by Ed Welch; Known (what does it mean to know God?), led by Stephen Porter; a Spanish-language ladies class; Mercy Triumphs, a Beth Moore study of the Book of James, also for ladies; Beginners Spanish; English as a Second Language; and for kids there's AWANA. The youth group meets in the Freeway. Why, you could say there's something for everyone! Nursery provided. Come join us, won't you?

Trying It Out

If you've read this blog regularly you know that I've been actively promoting the Perspectives class that is coming up very soon. I took the class 4 years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. It had been a long time since I had taken any class or study where I learned as much as I did in that one. I honestly think every Christian (and definitely every Christian leader) should take this course. But if you're still not sure you're ready to commit, here's something you may be interested in. On January 17th the first night of teaching will take place (January 10th will be registration, introduction to the course, etc.). You can sit in on this class FREE, with no strings attached. If you then decide that Perspectives is not for you, you can walk away, no harm done.
Visit the Perspectives website for more information.

Brownsville In The News

Here is a link to a Yahoo News story about one of the complications of life on the Texas border.

God/Great Part 2

For a readable and thoughtful response to Christopher Hitchen's best-selling rant against God, you should get "God Is....How Christianity Explains Everything". Available from Amazon here.

Angel Tree

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matt. 25:37 - 40

Did you know that 1.7 million kids have a parent in prison? Chuck Colson's Angel Tree ministry is doing something about that. Through Angel Tree, the children of incarcerated parents receive Christmas presents with the aid of more than 10,000 churches in the US. This year our church got in on the action, and Saturday was "Christmas" for almost 100 children in south Texas. Parents were invited for a meal, some Christmas music, and a message from our children's pastor to remember the reason for it all. Thanks to Lupita, Trisha, Glenda and Captain for making the holidays a little more bearable this year.

Boths Sides Of The Border

It's been said that there are worse crimes than burning books, such as not reading them. This past Friday I, along with our children's minister Captain, participated in a book giveaway at Russell Elementary school here is Brownsville. We were working in connection with a Baptist ministry in our state called Literacy Connexus, which seeks to instill a love of reading in needy children across Texas. Each child received a small collection of books, and a small bookshelf to put them on.

Friday afternoon I met up with some friends from the Bannockburn Baptist Church (Austin) to attend the ordination service of a pastor they've been sponsoring. We spent a little time with his family at his house in Matamoros before the service. Like so many pastors I've met in Mexico, he is an humble man, without much education or material resources. But he's not lacking in passion. His road hasn't been an easy one, but he continues just the same.

Keep Christ In Christmas?

Every year Americans are admonished to "keep Christ in Christmas". What does this mean? How do we do it? Should we do it? Check out this fine article from Dr. Michael Brown.