Against The Flow

On January 1, 2006 Hillcrest Baptist Church will launch its new worship service. I’m calling it Hillcrest 2.0.

Why 2.0? Normally as you already know items with the update of 2.0 have the attributes of the old with the addition of something new and/or improved. At Hillcrest starting this Sunday there will be a lot of the same attributes that has made Hillcrest a God honoring church in the Laurens community, but with the addition of a new worship leader, Stan Stone, and band. Stan Stone, Randy Beverly, James Franks, and James Hall will be bringing a new Sound to Hillcrest worship.

My prayer is that over the coming months, God will use our risk taking change of worship style to allow us to connect with the modern generation in a way that will allow the Good News to be shared and experienced. Please pray with and for us as we move into uncharted territory for a “traditional Baptist church� as we launch Hillcrest 2.0.

PS: Help us spread the word about Hillcrest 2.0

WIN = Whatever Is Necessary

Be a person that will do WIN for the kingdom in 2006.
What do people who have a WIN attitude look like?

1. they take responsibility for there mistakes and will assume others’ mistakes.
2. they go the extra mile (110%)
3. they don’t take no for an answer
4. they don’t do it alone (they know it takes a team to accomplish great things)
5. they leave no rock unturned (see the big picture but work relentlessly on the details)
6. they walk into a room and assess the needs and solve them
7. they don’t quit
8. they continually raise the bar for themselves and stay there
9. they play to win (they don’t show up thinking they will loose, its not an option)
10. they constantly think of others (investing, training, developing)
11. they understand the purpose and will do W.I.N to accomplish it!!

You’re only as good as what it takes for you to quit!!!

Hebrews 11:34- By faith…their weakness was turned to strength.
(adapted from Monday Morning Insights)

From Paul Lee’s Encyclopedia of Illustrations:
There is a story about Russia in the days of the Czars. In the park of St. Petersburg Winter Palace there was a beautiful lawn, on that lawn a bench, and next to that bench, two guards. Every three hours the guards were changed. Yet no one could explain why these guards were guarding the bench. One day an ambitious young lieutenant was put in charge of the Palace Guard. He started wondering and asking questions. Finally, he found a little old man, the Palace historian.

“Yes,� the old man said, “I remember.� During the reign of Peter the Great, 200 years ago, the bench got a fresh coat of paint. The Czar was afraid that the ladies in waiting might get paint on their dresses. So he ordered one guard to watch the bench while the paint dried. The order was never rescinded. Then in 1908, all the guards of the Palace were doubled for fear of a revolution. So the bench has had two guards ever since.�

Every once in a while it’s wise to ask, “Why am I/we doing this?� The modern definition of “insanity� is to continue doing what you have been doing and yet expecting different results. Are you ignoring years of experience and knowledge only to continue doing what you have always done? If you want different results, you will have to do something different. If the paint dried years ago, move on!

“If the horse is dead, dismount.�

Today is a big day, a milestone day for me and my wife Dionne. We are part of the 65%. Divorcemag.com stating US statistics claims that only 65% of all marriages reach their 10-year anniversary. We made it and I’m looking forward to the next 10.

10 years ago about this time we were getting on an airplane to Las Vegas. Yes, even Vegas marriages last. 10 Years ago the trip was wedding, honeymoon, and vacation all wrapped up in one, and it was great! But, little did I know it was also the beginning of a great journey. A journey that has had its up and downs, good times, great times, sad times and some difficult times, but looking back I am, we are, a better couple because of the trip to this point. The last 4 years of this journey called marriage has been especially cool because God has blessed us with MY2 (our babies, Myranda and Myles.) They make life worth living.

After 10 years, a phrase that comes to mind is from the Bible.
Mark 10:7-9, “’For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.‘ So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

Two will become one. That’s God’s Math. Dionne, my love, my wife is more than “my better half,� as sappy as it may sound she completes me! In Gods grand plan for my life it is Dionne who makes me the person God would have me to be. Without her I would be incomplete, half a person, lost. I love, “and the two will become one flesh,� I love Gods Math, but most of all on this day I want to say, I love my wife (Dionne).

An inscription on the tomb of an Anglican Bishop in Westminster Abbey:

“When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits,
I dreamed of changing the world.
As I grew older and wiser I discovered the world would not change
So I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country,
But it too seemed immovable.
As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt,
I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me,
But alas, they would have none of it.
And now I realize as I lie on my deathbed, if I had only changed myself first,
Then by example I might have changed my family,
From their inspiration and encouragement I would
then have been able to better my country,
And who knows,
I might have even changed the world.�