Well, it will be weird to miss church. I would love to hear Bub speak, but I will be able to get the CD (I hope). I am looking forward to the Peacemaking series we will be doing in church and small groups this September. I am so eager to see us really establish a culture of peace at our church. I think we are off to a good start and have a good environment to build on. I have been starting to look over and plan the messages for the series. It looks like fun. I hope we all learn a lot and allow God to mold the church the way he wants.

I haven't done well writing this summer. I have still spent time working on church, but less time in the office and on the computer. As a result, the blog has been quiet for the summer. I'm going to try to get back to this some more now. I am excited about what God has been doing at church this summer. The new series on Acts has really been speaking to people based on what they are telling me. I know that it is really teaching me and impacting me. I have found my perspective changing and developing over this last year as God works at BCBC. I am also really excited about the next step of that as we get ready to start the peacemaker study this fall as a church. Pray for good weather for the baptism this Wednesday. I am looking forward to these people who are declaring their allegiance to Christ.

Well, VBS is now in the past. It was a great week. I had a really good time and enjoyed seeing all the kids. I hope that we are able to follow up with some of the families that participated. Now how long before the VBS songs stop playing continuously in my head?!!? Then, after a full week, it was a full weekend with Nate's candidating on Saturday and Sunday and the Koinonia night and concert on Sunday night. I was very exhausted even though I didn't have to preach at all. I am excited to have part four of LOGOS series this Sunday. This is Part 2 of Rich Word, the third and final part of the series. I am busy working ahead on the next series. It is going to be a fun summer. Remember, this Sunday, service starts at 10 not 10:30!

Its been another 10 days between posts, but VBS explains most of that. Things have been really busy but VBS went really well. I am always amazed at what a great job Beth and Sharon do putting it all together. From the outside, everything seems to flow very well. I am thankful that I am not in charge of it and can just contribute my part by being funny man up front. I am a big fan of Lee Nelson's blog over at Channel 6. He has an interesting entry from this past week about how doing the newscast leaves him drained after. He talks about how even though it is not hard physical work, that the connecting to an audience leaves him dazed and drained. I know that feeling. It is much the same way. When I come home from church or youth group, I usually need some down time just recover and not be a zombie. Here is the link to his blog entry. Tonight is the meet and greet with ice cream for Nate. Tomorrow he candidates in the morning service and will join us for the evening service.

This past Sunday, I spoke on being full of God, letting the LOGOS of God to fill us fully. I was working on the next part of the Logos series today and dealing with the people issues that are part of church. Dealing with people can be very draining at times. Many people's approach to church is one of sitting back and waiting for you to figure things out. They won't tell you they are hurt. They will sit quietly and nurse the hurt and then they will add hurt to it if people didn't notice. They won't just step up, be up front and share their hurt. Then there are some who will be very friendly out in front, but when you inevitably find out what is being said around the back...ouch. It is this sort of thing that can really discourage pastors and other workers in the church. Those who serve can sometimes reach the point of exhaustion and/or frustration and even become disillusioned. There have been pastors who have left the ministry because of the toll this sort of thing takes. As I was feeling a touch of emotional weariness today, I was also listening to Sunday's message and allowing the word to speak to me. God asked me what I was trying to be full of. Do I seek to be full of Him, or full of the fun of serving Him? It is an important distinction. There are parts of ministry that are a lot of fun. There are times of joy and fulfillment as you see people grow in the Lord, take Him seriously and do things Biblically. There are those times of joy when things really go "well". The problem comes when that becomes what I get full of instead of just being full of my relationship with God apart from the ministry. I think many of us in Christian service, whether we are professional or laity, can start seeking to be full of serving God instead of full of God Himself. Then, when serving Him becomes hard, or hurts, we start feeling empty and drained. Weary. As I look at the things that I must do as a minister of God, I must go back to Him directly and serve out of my love and obedience to Him. I need to allow Him to fill me up out of my personal walk and relationship with Him, not out of the ministry He does through me. An important distinction.