A Break from Blogging

I have decided to take a break from blogging from now thru the conclusion of my Malawi, Africa mission trip in August.  My reason for this is to remove distractions as I am trying to finish my dissertation by the end of July, and concentrate on preparation for the mission trip, on top of my responsibilities as a husband and pastor.

The Value of Time Away

This is a pic of Charity shopping during our time away today, at one of her favorite stores…Bath and Body Works.

This week, I have taken a couple of days away to spend some time with Charity.  Yesterday, we celebrated three years of marriage, and we’re having a blast.  We went to Nashville initially, and we’re currently in Atlanta.

Over time, especially my last year and a half serving as the senior pastor of a church, I’ve come to the realization that time away is extremely important.  Time away is good for one’s relationship with God, marriage, perspective, pure rest, and fun.

Relationship with God

Life can get so busy that sometimes it is easy to throw God into the mix of a day as another thing to clog up the day’s task list.  Time away assists me in looking at my relationship with God to think about where I am in my relationship with Christ, where I need to improve things, and to have more time with my Lord.

Marriage

My marriage would not be near the place it is right now if it weren’t for our time spent together away from home.  Especially as a pastor, it is very hard for me to truly be away from work.  Ministry creates problems in pastors’ personal lives where it is easy to allow the ecclesia to serve as a higher priority than the family.  Time away assists me in keeping my priorities straight.

Perspective

Whenever I leave town, it allows me to take a step back, and realize some fresh ideas.  Have you ever noticed that most Offensive Coordinators for football teams sit in the coach’s box at the top of the stadium instead of on the sideline?  The reason is because it gives the coaching staff a fresh and different perspective.  Time away gives me the opportunity to gain a fresh perspective on life and my ministry to help me to see what I need to do to most effectively fulfill my calling from the Lord.

Pure Rest

I don’t know about you, but I’m a hard charger.  I get up early every day, exercise, work on my dissertation, lead a church, teach a college-level course once a week in the Fall and Spring, and live a busy life.  It is nice and healthy to get away and simply rest.

Fun

I grew up going on vacations, traveling a lot, and valuing time away.  As a child, some of my greatest memories are from time away.  Charity and I have had a blast taking some time away.

Yes, there is great value in taking some time to get away.

Pleasant Hill Billboard

Pleasant Hill has a billboard going up July 1st.  I thought you’d like to see what it will look like.  For local readers of my blog, the billboard is located on the westbound side of Hwy 321 at Adesa Road.  It is about 30 yards from I-75.

For readers unfamiliar with our area, the location is right off the interstate, where a large majority drive to or thru Knoxville for work.  This is the most prime location for a billboard in Lenoir City.  I’m so thankful to God that we have the opprtunity to put ths billboard up in order to advertise to the community that we’re here, and we’re here to minister to them in the name of Jesus.

Blessings,

JPR

Phridays are Phor Fotos

Today’s Phriday foto is of Charity and me just an hour or so after we became man and wife June 17, 2006.  This was taken at our wedding reception at Holston Hills Country Club.

Yes, our three year anniversary is coming on Wednesday.  I am so thankful the Lord has blessed me with my beautiful bride.  I love her, and can’t imagine my life without her.

Church Planting // Reaching People

I love talking to friends of mine around the country who are starting churches.  I have friends starting churches in Dallas, Tampa, Boston, Kingsport, TN, and San Diego.

This morning, I had breakfast with my friends, Brad and Becky Graves.  The Graves recently planted Cross Church San Diego.  As Charity lived in San Diego 7th-11th grade, she knows the culture is extremely unchurched.  I must tell you this is like starting a church in an international setting.  Tony, my father-in-law, served as pastor of First Southern Baptist Church of San Diego, and he can account for that believe better than I.

This morning’s breakfast with the Graves was encouraging to see a great young couple on-fire for Christ and reaching the region of SoCal with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Ed Stetzer, church planting guru, says that churches should be serving locally, planting nationally, and going internationally.  It is exciting to see the Lord work through Brad and Becky.  This Sunday, Brad will be preaching at a church just 15 minutes down the road from Pleasant Hill, at FBC Concord.

Please, I ask for you to pray for Brad, Becky, their twin boys, and their little boy due in September.  Also, please pray for Cross Church San Diego to continue to grow and change people.

Jack Graham’s 20 Years at Prestonwood – Thank You, Pastor

Last Sunday, Prestonwood Baptist Church in my hometown of Plano, TX celebrated the 20 year anniversary of Dr. Jack Graham as the Senior Pastor.  I want to write a brief word to share with you about Pastor Graham.

As one growing up in Plano, but in a different church, I always knew of Prestonwood and of Jack Graham.  I remember hearing him on the radio.  It always struck a chord with me how biblical a majority of my Prestonwood friends were.  It was obvious that Jack Graham effected their lives in a mighty way to lead them closer to Christ.

While in seminary, I had the opportunity of being Pastor Graham’s intern for three years.  Those three years were a time of balancing being a newlywed, academia, and being on staff at arguably the greatest church in the world.  It was amazing to me how much I craved to be around him because wisdom oozed out of him.  Pastor has incessantly invested in young guys like myself, and I am forever grateful.

To this day, he is extremely helpful with me as a Senior Pastor of a church for just 15 months.  With questions about leadership, direction of the church, or even personal financial questions, I seek the wisdom and guidance of Pastor Graham.  This is a man who has poured his life into so many young men who entered the ministry, and are now changing the world for the glory of God.

Jack Graham is usually associated in pastoral circles for the church growth, and additions to the church, that occurred under his leadership.  What many people fail to mention besides the additions to grow his ministry is the multiplication of his ministry through leading the greatest intern program in all of the Southern Baptist Convention, and probably of any denomination or church.  There are over 20 interns at Prestonwood at any given time, and they’re poured into by Pastor Graham.

For this great man of God whom God is using and will continue to use, I want to tell Pastor Graham, “Thank you for your ministry and investment in my life.”

www.Prestonwood.org – www.JackGraham.org – 20th Anniversary Video

Blessings,

JPR

Amazing Day of Worship

Yesterday was an AMAZING day of worship at Pleasant Hill.  We celebrated 22 salvations and 250 people in attendance.  Yesterday was one of those days I’ll remember for years to come.  With that many new believers in Christ, and more people in attendance for a worship service than The Hill has seen in over twenty years, it led to a high level of excitement.

Pictured above are kids from Pleasant Hill singing some worshipful music.  I love the fact that our stage cannot contain all of the kids.  I also love that I could barely fit onto the pew I was sitting on yesterday.

Yesterday made me reflect on my first Sunday at the church.  There were 69 people in attendance, and there was a lack of excitement.  Now, momentum has built up very strongly.  I’m amazed by God’s favor on His local assembly called Pleasant Hill.

It is such a privelege to serve as pastor of such a great congregation in such a great community.

Phridays are Phor Fotos: Children at Pleasant Hill

Five Basic Things

This week, the kids at Pleasant Hill’s Day Camp are learning five basic things about God:

(1) Follow

(2) Worship

(3) Confess

(4) Serve

(5) Obey

This morning, I’m going to share a brief message from Matthew 14 about Jesus walking on the water, and the five things listed above are all learned in the story of Peter with Jesus on the Sea of Galilee.  With this, I’m sharing some of the pictures I took in Israel a few months ago.  You can see the pictures below.

It is important for all Christians to be reminded of the five basic things above.  I encourage you to think about these five things, and ask yourself if you truly follow Christ, if you’re living a lifestyle of worship, if you have confessed your sins to Christ and confessed your belief in Christ, if you are serving Christ and in a place of service for Him, and are you living your life with obedience to Him.

(Sea of Galilee)

(The Jesus Boat.  This boat may be the very one that Jesus was walking toward in Matthew 14.)

I’m A Proud Young Conservative