Our church has seen a decrease in normal offerings, but continues to do quite well overall.  I am not really participating in the recession on any level.  I stand on God’s word and His ability to supply all our needs, despite the condition of our economy and the futurist who predict our outcomes.

We are actually planning expansion in several areas of our church in the coming months. Expansion is never easy especially in times such as these. Regardless of the economy, the rules of expansion are always similar.

Here are a few thoughts about expansion and growth.

1. Expansion should be strategically planned

Forced expansion normally creates reactionary leadership rather than strategic planning.  In this situation, we scramble to stay on top of the growth, and are unprepared for the outcomes. Failure or stagnation is normally the result.  

2. Expansion requires identifying new leaders

As we know, everything rises and falls on leadership.  In order to successfully expand your organization you must identify and empower the new leaders that can facilitate your growth plan. Without the proper leaders the expansion would fail due to lack of leadership and mismanagement. You must choose your leaders prior to planning any expansion! 

3. Expansion requires an investment

As we prepared to expand several departments our tension was to train and compensate the new employees before they were actually needed. The training would be a little costly and drive up our pay roll percentage for several weeks.  You must see this as an investment and not an added expense. One key decision to control cost was to promote an existing employee, rather than hire an outsider. In my experience, this is always more cost effective.

These 3 simple tips will assist you in getting ready for expansion. Our future is now primed for expansion and the end result should be growth and prosperity. 

Our God is able to bless us in incredible ways as we respond to His strategies.   

Let’s get ready,

Pastor Tom  

In the rat race of life, there are key elements that we must discover. Life is more than making money, accomplishing deadlines, or enjoying our pleasures. If we fail to control the pace, and skip what’s most important, we end believing “all is useless.”

Maybe the 3 simple words listed below will bring us some profound truth. 

1. Stop

To the mover/shaker or the type A personality you may have skipped the word.  Sometimes folks, you just need to stop.  You see, to stop doesn’t mean slow down.  It means to stop.  God says; “to cease from your labor.”  Stopping is not listening, it positions you to hear! 

2. Look

It’s time to view your life.  Does your life look the way it should.  Are you spending time with God, your kids, and your family?  Does your life look like it’s supposed to? Are you living properly?  Do you have a secret life?  Look at your life today.  The bible says; we are to examine our life. Stop, look, now listen! 

3.  Listen

Psalm 46:3 says…Be still and know that I am God. Are you listening?  I notice the first thing I lose when I am pressed, tired, or consumed, is the ability to listen.

God wants to talk to you. 

Will you take the time to stop, look, and listen?

I think you will.  Do it now!

Pastor Tom

There is a hidden inference in this passage that projects a profound truth. The inference is that belief determines pursuit. It is absolutely true that whatever we believe in we pursue. We go to restaurants we believe in. We purchase items we believe in. We seek out relationships with people we believe in.

God loves to be believed. It is His greatest pleasure.

The word “belief” is defined as; to be assured, to have confidence in, to show trust in one another, to have conviction, or to be persuaded. God is faithful and can be trusted to lead us to, and through every circumstance. Let’s not be like the children of Israel who found themselves unable to trust God for their needs.

The children of Israel constantly desired relief, and God wanted them to believe. The wilderness struggles were designed to cause them to believe God to meet their needs. Rather than believe, they chose to be relieved from their circumstances.

Beliefs are developed from 4 sources:

1. Environments

Some were raised in bad environments. These environments cause us to develop beliefs that are contrary to God’s ways. Sometimes we must unlearn before we can learn.

2. Relationships

The people we grew up with and the people we hang out with form our belief systems. Choose wise friends. Align yourself with people who match your destiny, not your history.

3. Experiences

Belief creates experiences. When you believe God to help you handle every situation, that determines how you handle your experiences.

4. Knowledge

My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge…Hosea 4:6

What we do not know, can destroy us. Let’s remember, the truth you believe sets you free. Let’s make sure we are trusting and believing in our heavenly Father to get us through every difficult situation.

It is the difference in relief or belief!

Pastor Tom

Is there a non-denominational church near you?  A real church, with real people and a real God, Jesus.  Typically these churches start small like in shopping centers or a collection of rooms at a hotel until they can grow big enough to have their own structure. 

LifeBridge, our home church, was birthed in a small group of praying Christians living room.  From there to the Ramada Inn, renting several rooms, the actual worship service as well as nursery and children class rooms.  We did that for 3-4 years then continuing to pray and following the Holy Spirit, LB is now on 26 acres, delightful modern church – really nice plus we have outgrown the Senior’ Sunday school class and are completing a 5,000 sq ft LifeCenter. No debt. Miracle of what God can do.  I think the value is many millions. 

The first night I attended a few years ago was on a Wednesday night with about 25 people; homeless, tattooed, older, younger, some in wheelchairs.  All needy people needing a touch of God daily if not minute by minute in their lives. 

I joined the following Sunday~

Pam Bell – Contributor

When you and I choose to “Be the 1” it means we are willing to use our time, talent, and resources for the glory of God and the advancement of God’s Kingdom.  When you choose to “Be the 1” it means that you will make choices that others will not make.  In other words, to “Be the 1” will distinguish your life from others.

Here is what you must do in order to “Be the 1.”

1. We must recognize defining moments

Defining moments are not easily recognized.  Many times God brings these moments into our lives and they may not resemble God opportunities.  Many times defining moments from God come as interruptions or insertions to our plan.

Can God interrupt your life so that you can experience a defining moment?

2. We must allow God to challenge our life

Most of us are not great at seeking God alone.  God gave us the Holy Spirit, Pastors, and Teachers to continually challenge us to maintain our spiritual growth and personal relationship with Him!  They are truly gifts to our lives.  It is these men and women that God speaks through, that keeps us challenged, corrected, and on course with God and His Spirit. Normally, these anointed people confirm the things that God has been speaking to us in our private lives.

I pray for the mother, teacher, fireman, business person, wife, construction worker, or other, to allow their purpose in life, and the eternal purpose of God to intersect. It is here, that we will “Be the 1.”

In His Service,

Pastor Tom

In our case; A member of LifeBridge (Jeff Moore) decided to have a golf tournament to raise funds for our new Life Center. As we planned the tournament we set our goals fairly high.  We chose Wood Hollow Golf Course in Longview, and set the date for Friday, July 2, 2010. We also chose 12 noon for registration and lunch, and a 1:00 pm tee time.

The first couple of weeks things went rather slow.  On our second meeting Jeff informs me that his fiancé’ is friends with the wife of a current PGA Tour Player. Jeff tells me he is going to invite him to play in our tournament.  The following week Jeff invites him to join us, and HE ACCEPTS our invitation!  A few days later, the tour player also tells us that one of his friends will be coming with him to OUR TOURNAMENT! The second guy is a top 25 player on the PGA.

Now, things are in exponential mode.  The banquet at the awards presentation has been DONATED by a caterer. Also the PGA players are donating items to be sold at a silent auction, and one of the players has offered to be auctioned off to PLAY with the highest bidder.

I do not know how all this will turn out, but as it unfolds, God is once again showing us His ability to bless our work and ideas. He is still an INCREDIBLE GOD!

If you want to see how all this turns out, join us at Wood Hollow on Friday!

You are Highly Favored,

Pastor Tom

The first morning there we hit the ground running.  We slept 5 hours and were headed out to an outreach on the streets of Manila, to a place called Malabon. Experiencing the travel to Malabon was astonishing.  Traveling through a city with 18 million people, in itself, is indescribable. The law on the streets is; if you get your nose in front of the other car, you proceed.  Needless to say, the fearless rule.

The sound of hundreds of simultaneous horns brings shock to an American driver.  Every traffic law in America is being broken, as you watch what seems like chaos.  Amazingly, you see no wrecks, no road rage, and after a while you see the chaos as an amazing chaotic order.

Behind the obvious fears of the traffic, you are also experiencing the pollution of millions of cars, the stench of poverty, and the faces of thousands that look hopeless.  Looking past the traffic, you see children begging on the streets, people walking with no shoes, and others are obvious addicts and beggars.

I cannot describe the poverty and how powerless I feel. The measure of the need seems to consume what I have to give.

We arrive at the outreach and are met with hundreds of needy people and children.  We are totally surrounded. The culture displays it’s touchy, feely, characteristic.  It’s like southern hospitality on steroids. Many are sick, and all look hopeless. Most of the children however, are full of love, all needy, yet ready to play. Most of them reach for you to hold them.

Charity Graff begins to sing worship songs.  The children sit down and sing.  Many of the parents sing songs about Jesus.  My emotions are internally out of control. I feel so powerless!  I reach for a child, pick him up, hold him, and sing songs in his ear.  As I sing, I hear the scripture; If you did it to the least of these, you have done it unto me.

We cannot solve the poverty of Manila, or feed all the hungry.  Neither can we provide medicine for everyone that is sick.  But in our tiredness and weakness, we can pick up one child and sing a song in their ear.  We cannot give them everything they need, but we can give the one thing they need most, and that is Jesus.

Freely we have been given, freely we can give!

We can – Be the ONE!

Let’s do it,

Pastor Tom

We are in a time where we watch companies rise and fall.  My dad used to say; new brooms sweep good.  This saying is applied to upstart companies and most of them seem to start well.  After a few weeks as you revisit them, you may see some weakness or failures.  It usually starts with the cleaning of the bathrooms.  Have you ever noticed the demise  of many convenience stores starts with the unclean bathrooms?  Have you also noticed the sign; if this bathroom is unclean, please tell a clerk? Have you went so far as to tell the clerk?  I have, to no avail. The loss of influence and excellence begins when you see companies and churches violating their own vision and values. 

Like the convenience store that violates their own standard for a clean bathroom, the beginning of failure for most organizations is the failure to revisit their vision plan. They begin to operate by need and circumstance rather than vision and values.  The word says; where there is no vision, my people perish.  The word perish does not mean to die.  It means to fail, to be incomplete, to be undone. 

Vision is your tracking device, much like a GPS for life destination. 

Do you know the vision for your life?  If so, renew it today, pursue it, and stay on track.     

Revisit your vision today!

Pastor Tom

My immediate answer is not always acceptable; “because He is God, and we are not.” 

Most of us truly believe that we serve a God that blesses our plans and gives us all the desires of our heart.  It would help us to discover that God has far greater plans for us than we have for ourselves. It also would surprise us to discover that God will do more for us, if we submit to His will and stop trying to control our own lives.

I have learned that God knows what I need, and what I do not need. I have also learned that if God has not given me what I think I need, maybe I do not need it after all. I have recently discovered something I always need, and God always rewards, and that is humility.  God says humble yourself and He will lift you up.  

I think God’s plan always works best!  

Pastor Tom