A great kick-off

Yesterday we began a new season at PF. We began two Sunday services. This is more than just having two services. This is a time when God is challenging us to be more than we have been and all that He wants us to be.

Yesterday was awesome. There was such a buzz and excitement in the air. Both services were very well attended. I'm pretty sure that the sanctuary could not have contained us all if there was only one services. That was so encouraging. I believe this year God is calling us in two areas: Increase and Impact!! May He send His increase in every way He wants to and may we see Him impact our lives, our culture and the nations.

On a humorous note: The kitchen crew served breakfast between the two services. They do breakfast once a month and there are usually 50 or so people who come and eat. Well, yesterday there were nearly 200 people at breakfast. Needless to say, they were not really prepared. However, they are amazing. Somehow, they fed them all. They said that they cooked everything in the kitchen and even had to make a run to the store for more eggs.

Praise God for His faithfulness and I can't wait until this coming weekend. We are having a special guest, Dan Muhler with us Friday - Sunday. I will write more on that later.

72 Hour Prayer & Fasting

Once again, this weekend at PF there is a call to prayer and fasting. For three days there are people in the sanctuary and in their homes seeking the face of God. It is quite an awesome sight to see and just to know it's happening is pretty amazing. We believe that when Jesus taught us to pray in the "Lord's Prayer" He meant it when He said, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

Let's believe that He wants His kingdom to come now, to come here and to use us.

If you have things that you would like prayer for e-mail them to prayer@worshipplace.org

And come and join those praying anytime through Sunday afternoon.

A decade ago

Ten years ago this week was full of incredible excitement in Russell. It was the week of the opening of the new worship facility that Praise Fellowship currently meets in. Wow, what an incredible time. We were just days away from our first service in this ,at the time, Huge building. We had been a mobile church for the previous 2 years as we met on the State Hospital grounds and we were finally ready to have a place to call home.

This place really seemed big at the time. We were renting a storefront in downtown Russell. I think the entire building was 22x60. The stage at the new facility was almost that big. Who could have imagined that the 400 seat sanctuary would soon be filled with worshippers hungry for the presence of the Lord?

That brings us to another major shift this week, an exact decade later. We will begin our second decade this Sunday and we will celebrate by beginning holding two Sunday Morning worship services at 9 & 11 am. That means that we essentially double the size of the sanctuary. That really makes my head spin. Are we ready for an increase? Are we prepared for the Harvest? Can we keep the unity in the Spirit as we grow? So many questions. But for all the questions, I only have one certain answer. God has directed us in this path and I am confident that He is in control and that He will have His way. I look with incredible anticipation to this coming month, this coming year and this coming decade.

I believe that 2010 is the year of Increase and Impact! May He use Praise Fellowship to fulfill the purpose that she was created for. And may He do the same for every church body who preaches His Word and may every individual believer fulfill his/her purpose.

Let's have an amazing 2010

I'll be back

Sorry that I have been away for so long. I will be back in action after the first of the year. Hope you had an awesome Christmas.

Grace Had a Face

I was listening to the Gospel Greats Saturday on FLN. Yes, there is a part of me that likes southern gospel music. :-) A song came on by Phil Cross "Hope Has Hands". I don't remember all the words and I have added some of my own. But it was talking about what happened at the Birth of the Messiah. In the manger:

Grace had a Face

Hope had a hand

The Bread had a Basket

Freedom had Feet

Love had a Heartbeat

Truth could Stand

The Word had a Mouth

The Savior lived among Sinners

This Sunday at Praise Fellowship

Merry Christmas!!!!!!

As we approach the week of Christmas, my prayer is that the Savior born in that manger would be the true Bread of Life that you feed upon every day all year round.

Sunday at Praise Fellowship we will gather at 10 and worship the amazing Messiah. Come ready to exalt His great Name!!! Hearts of Praise Dance team will be ministering and the morning's message will be entitled, "Little Baby .... Big Deal?" Read Mt. 1, 2 and Luke 1,2

After the service there will be a Spaghetti Lunch. Make plans to spend some time fellowship with the family. All the proceeds will go toward the Sound/Tech department specifically for the purchase of a new keyboard.

Remember that there will be a very special Christmas Eve Service on Thursday night at 9 pm.

All the services including Christmas Eve are broadcast live at www.worshipplace.org

Luke 1:28

The Angel visited Mary and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. - Lk. 1:28,29 NIV

As I ponder those words to Mary, I am reminded that we as followers of Christ do have some things important with Mary. The key characteristic of Mary was that she was going to bring forth the Messiah to the world. It was through her that the world was going to meet their savior. She was going to give birth to the Messiah. Of course, we are not pregnant with the Christ child, but let me remind you that we are Christ's ambassadors and God is making his appeal to the world through us. 2 Cor. 5:18

Please also consider that these two amazing statements that God can make about followers of Jesus today. 1. You are Highly Favored and 2. The Lord is with You. Wow!!!! What could be greater than that. And I love Mary's response. She was greatly troubled. That shows her true, genuine humility. She knew her shortcomings and failures and she still believed the word of the Lord. Let me encourage you to do the same. Walk in humility and look at yourself soberly (Romans 12:3) and believe that the favor of God is on you and that the Lord is with you and He will never leave you nor forsake you.