Three Important Words

It was said that Winston Churchill once rose to speak to a group of college students who anxiously anticipated a long eloquent speech. To their surprise, he only uttered three words. Those three important words were "Never give up!". Why did Alexander Graham Bell find the breakthrough that led to the invention and patent of the telephone? He never gave up. Why did Orville and Wilbur Wright succeed in building an airplane? They never gave up. Why did the United States of America win the Revolutionary War? They never gave up. When you succeed in seeing your dreams come true it will because you adopted these three important words...never give up!

Go Ahead and Laugh

Yeah to those who automatically get these postings through email, I misspelled the word learned. :) I said I leaned a lot my first week in grad school. I guess that's true too! To everyone else; well, you would have never known it had I not blew the whistle on my own self. It's just that when I edit it is too late for direct mail readers.

School School School!

I started graduate school this week. It is pretty cool! I am attending the University of Central Arkansas. I am enrolled in the College of Education's Master of Arts in Teaching program. I have learned a lot in my first week. I graduated from the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith with a BA in History in 2007. Ruth graduated from American College in 1988 as an Automated Office Specialist and from the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith with an Associate Degree in 2006. She is currently working on a Bachelor's degree in Christian Care and Counseling from ORU. We have 3 children in Booneville Schools; Grayson in 2nd grade, Katie in 9th, and Emilee is a senior who is working hard to prepare to attend UAFS to earn a degree in Early Childhood Education and become a teacher. Our next older daughter Sydnei, has attended UAFS for one semester and is preparing to go back in the spring to resume classes and work toward a degree in education and is thinking about becoming a basketball coach. Our oldest daughter has attended the University of Arkansas at Monticello for one semester and is now considering DeVry University to become a medical transcriptionist. Let me catch my breath. It is my desire to lead my family to pursue their goals and dreams. I hope I can leave a legacy to never give up!!! I am so proud of my family's desire to succeed. To God be all the glory!!!!!!!

Read and Response: Mega Churches

A mega church is considered to be a church averaging at least 2000 people on any given Sunday(according to wikipedia). Also according to wikipedia the Hartford Institute's database affirms that there are over 1,300 Protestant mega churches in the United States. I want to ask a series of questions and I hope that you will respond.
1. When you hear the term mega church does that illicit a positive or negative response from you?

2. Are mega churches carrying out the role of the new testament church according to the bible?

3. What can smaller churches learn to do from mega churches?

4. What can smaller churches learn not to do from mega churches?

5. Why do so many people flock to mega churches?

Please respond....

The Invaluable Measure of Faith

Romans 12:3... For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
There is absolutely no way that you can appraise the value of the measure of faith. Without faith there would be no hope and without hope we would all be miserable. Thank the Lord that God has given us the measure of faith! This means that everyone is born with the capability to believe in God and to believe in the power of prayer. What is the last thing that you exercised your measure of faith to receive? When was the last time? That's too long! The enemy of our soul does not want us to use our faith. he wants us to be controlled by our senses and through our emotions. He has been using the senses tactic ever since the garden of Eden. Genesis 3:6 says... And when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food, and that it [was] pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make [one] wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. Faith is a guard against the weakness of the senses. The bible says in Hebrews 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. So we know that with faith it is possible to please God. Use your measure of faith, even on the small things. I challenge you upon reading this post to make a decision to use your measure of faith today on three different scenarios and see what happens. Remember, God is not moved by circumstances, he is moved by faith.

Updates and Testimonies

Ruth is doing much better. She even ran a little on her knee yesterday. She has definitely regained mobility after almost three weeks of pain, stiffness, and swelling. In Jesus name we believe for complete healing in her knee. Praise the Lord!!!

Now for an update on Neal's condition (after gall bladder removal surgery). As of last night he was doing well. He mainly has soreness from the laproscopic incisions. Neal's Dad, my brother Terry had been told that he had 70% blockage in his carotid artery after the first initial test. Last Wednesday he had an arteriogram which resulted in 0% blockage and following that he had a second test on his carotid artery. After several days of prayer, he now had 0% blockage in the carotid artery. Praise the Lord!!!

Sherry Hughes is currently taking chemotherapy treatments in Russellville. In 5 weeks, she is going to evaluate her progress. If she is not considerably better, she has made plans to fly to Italy to seek treatment from a doctor there who has an extremely high success rate for total recovery. I know a doctor who has a 100% rate. His name is Jesus. Sherry is also trusting in him for complete healing. Ruth was able to minister to Sherry over the phone yesterday evening, and in the conversation told Sherry that she was believing for her complete healing.

Prayer Requests

I have several prayer requests, so I thought I would dedicate this post to that purpose.
1. Pray for my wife Ruth Ann for total healing in her left knee. She has a Baker's Cyst and an extensive amount of calcium deposited in the miniscus area of the knee.
2. Neal Schlinker. He undergoes surgery to remove his gall bladder tomorrow. He is our nephew and is 28 years old.
3. Sherry Hughes. She has been diagnosed to be in stage 4 of cancer. She is one of our long time friends (and my brother Johnny's sister-in-law).
4. Judy Schlinker. She will undergo some heart tests in September. She is our sister-in-law and (my brother Terry's wife and Neal's Mother).
5. All the school kids. Most schools start tomorrow. Pray for their safety and success.
6.Sydnei and Hannah. Our two oldest daughters who need the Lord.
7. Johnny St. Cin. His heart only functions at about 33%. He is my father-in-law.
8. Me and Ruth Ann. We need a pastorate position or I need to find a a school teaching position!!! I have almost 30 years of experience as a minister but am also certified to teach Middle School subjects, but so far ( since my place of employment burned in March) we have not been able to find a pastorate and I have not been able to land a teaching contract. I know God has something in the plans!!!
Thanks for your prayers.
God Bless you.
P.S. Please vote on my poll to the right, regarding reasons for lack of church growth, while you are here.