Time Goes On,,,Faith Gets Tested!

Today is June 27, a mere 15 days or so from my last post. As I read my last post I noticed I had wrote "it is with great sadness" and I am happy to say that I am trying to no longer look at the closing of Huff Lane with great sadness but rather with anticipation and eagerness to serve God in a new and better way! How's that for just accepting what God has in store for me and most important what He has in store for Life Pointe Church! I pray we will actually be able to live our our "motto" or goal and that is to "pointe lives to Christ" and with almost 500 kids at Round Hill we should be able to do that more effectively. That's 479 kids getting a monthly mailing about our movie night and potentially telling their parents about the new church that is meeting at the school! God is moving us for a reason and that reason is to bring folks to Him. The picture gets a little clearer as times passes..,doesn't mean it's still not tough to leave our familar stomping grounds but since God is moving us, it's got to be good and the best thing for us! Praise the Lord!

Huff Lane School Will Close

It is with great sadness that I type this post. This past Thursday, the Roanoke City School Board voted to close Huff Lane School. This is not only where Ginny has worked for almost 15 years, this is the place where lives have been changed and altered for eternity. As I went over to the school yesterday, I walked into the doors and saw boxes already being filled, taped shut, and placed in the gym. Having our Sunday service is probably going to be difficult to do with the all the things already in the way. But we will have it and continue to be faithful as God makes His will more clear to us. It is a trying and confusing time. I love the Lord and want His church, the church He has called me to plant, to continue, but right now there is a lot of uncertainity. I have been told by Ginny, that the principal at Huff Lane will let us meet at Round Hill next year, so God can still change lives there. It is just not the same and it is very tough right now. These are the times that try men's souls, I believe was a quote from George Washington but my soul is not being tried, but my spirit is. May God get the glory as always and may we see the picture clearer soon.

COMMON GROUNDS DEBUTS!

Well tonight is the debut of yet another outreach of Life Pointe Church! We have been showing movies for soon to be 2 years; hosted 2 community wide Block Parties; hosted a week

The Battle Continues!

I am not quite sure if God is teaching me lessons or the devil is just uping the aggravation and trials. After learning the school (Huff Lane) is going to be closed next school year, (at least that is what has been proposed), I went into the school today to get set up for church and then Ginny ran to Wal-Mart just before the service was to start. Ginny walked in the door about a half an hour later, having walked from the bridge close to Valley View, since the van has stalled out and then just died on the side of the road. I went back over and tried to start it, and the ended up having to go and take the battery out and take it to Advance to get it charged. Turns out after I tried to jump start it using Steve's car, that taking it to get it charged at Advance was the best thing to do. As soon as I got back to the school, since charging the battery was going to take an hour, Ginny, Andy, Ashley, Karen, Matthew, and my brother Tim has used the time to pray since I wasn't there to hold the service, so it was good to pray about all the stuff going on, especially with the church. We went ahead and sang our songs and had announcements and prayer then called it a day. I then went back to jumpstart the van and it started up just fine! So God is still in control, the church is still going, and we are waiting on God's next step and orders on where to go or what to do next. It's trying sometimes, but we must persist. God is good.

Sad News

My, what a difference even 24 hours can make! Last night we had a good Bible Study with all of us being reminded that we are called "sons and daughters" of God. That we will enjoy the same inheritance that Christ will enjoy because we are joint heirs with Christ! So there is now no condemnation with God because we are His children who He lavishly poured out His love upon. So with that encouraging thought going to bed, I awoke this morning and felt pretty good and then had Ginny call at about 9:30 am to tell me that Huff Lane School will be closing this fall! I didn't really know what to say. Not only has Ginny worked there for 14 years, and her fellow workers and friends are there, but that is the home for Life Pointe Church, our church, the one we feel can make an eternal difference in the lives and souls of so many people. So it's sad to think we may not have a church home in a few months. We were planning on starting a coffee house ministry this summer and continue with movies so this may be a halt to all of that. This is when we really must trust God for the future. He knows what is best and I must lead with the assurance that God is truly in control. So are "dark times" ahead for Life Pointe Church or is this just the beginning of something much, much better? God knows and so we trust Him for all we need. It is still hard to believe that Huff Lane School will close. Maybe God will change things so we must wait, but meanwhile, we pust on for the high calling that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Wonder Sometimes?

Do you ever wonder? It's not that you question God but do you ever just wonder sometimes? I am trying to stay faithful and give messages like I would if I were preaching to a 100 even though there are often just 10 to 15 at our services. I know to stay faithful, for God has promised that in due season, we will reap if we do not grow weary. Andy came up with a great idea over the weekend of having a Coffee/Game night over the summer months every Friday evening. And Ashley even thought of a great name in "Common Grounds" so that we can enjoy the coffee and the common ground that we hope to establish with our neighbors. I just wanted to do something more, especially coming back from the Innovate Conference last week, and knowing that we cannot quit and that we do not want to be one of the churchs that just gave up after a few months of not seeing many people respond. "I know the plans I have for you," says God so I need to remember those plans are good ones, not to harm us but to make us prosper, so I must be a good leader and press on towards the high calling of which God has called me. And to keep praying, that's the key. May we be found faithful and soon see God bless our efforts by bringing folks unto Himself.

Staying Faithful

Wow, I can't believe we have turned the page on another month! Andy's birthday is just in 5 days and we are busy doing school work for Liberty U. and with the end of the school year at SHS just 5 to 6 weeks away, things are bound to start heating up for the summer time! And it will also be no exception for Life Pointe as we try harder to grow the work God has given us the privilege to have. Yesterday we had 11 people which sounds small, but of that 11 people, one of them just accepted Jesus less than 2 months ago; two of them were students of mine at Salem in my driver's ed. classes; and two were friends of ours who do not have a church home; so with all that in mind, I think God is continuing to use us right in our own backyard! God is good! Sure, it would be nice to look out on a Sunday afternoon and see 100 people sitting there, but God knows what we can handle right now and as things progress and are put into place, God will bless us with more people. I just want to see folks saved and baptized and then grow up in Jesus! So with that in mind, we need to do just what Jesus told Jarius to do......."Just Believe!"