Time to re-Wesleyanize

On Sunday August 12 there was a reception for Sharron and me at North Raleigh Church of the Nazarene. The office manager - Donna - took several pictures to document this event. You can view the slide show at the church web site (note the post below and click on the web site).


On Tuesday the 14th I conducted my first church board meeting as Lead Pastor. As the meeting was coming to a close a board member shared with me that it was really good to laugh at a board meeting. I am greatly encouraged by the great leadership team at NRN (North Raleigh Nazarene).


God truly met with us on Sunday morning August 19th as Tom Alsbury and Crystal Bennett with the praise team lead us in worship. I enjoyed preaching the message entitled "Why are we here?" You can hear this message on the church web site - just click on the worship podcast.


An emotional event took place later in the week when we finally secured auto insurance and placed North Carolina license plate on our vehicle. This sounds so simple, but I had NC tags on every car I had until God lead Sharron and I to Christian Fellowship Church in April 1981. Now, 26 years later, we celebrate going home with the reality of NC tags on our vehicle.

When Sharron and I departed from Josh and Stephanie's on Saturday morning we knew we would not be back in Indian Trail for 10 days. I couldn't believe that Stephanie accused us of trying to pack Alyse in our suitcase to take her to Kansas with us!
Why would she ever think we would do that?


The pastoral team departed Sunday afternoon for our first Pastoral Team Advance. We enjoyed a time of sharing, praying, planning and of course pigging out! I believe God has placed a great team together!


A short note of appreciation to Phil and Joanie Richards for their hospitality as Sharron and I stayed in their home on Tuesday evening. I am thankful for the Richards and their open hearts and open home to provide a place for me to stay when in the Raleigh area. I enjoy the laughter with each visit! It was Joanie that gave me a recent copy of Holiness Today - the magazine of the Church of the Nazarene. In this edition I read comments from General Superintendent Nina Gunter as she addressed the M7 conference in Kansas City. She was quoted as saying the following:


"Gunter warned that the rate of change in our culture has increased so quickly that what used to take a generation now changes every 5 years, which presents challenges for our church, some of the biggest challenges in our 100-year history.

Gunter called upon her hearers to rise to those challenges, to re-Wesleyanize the Church of the Nazarene. She asserted that this church is a vigorous 100-year-old, who can still give birth! “We can embrace new methods, new structures, and new ways to connect, serve, and resource our church, all for the ultimate work God has called us to, the work of making Christlike disciples in the nations.”

I shared with the Richards that I am doing my part in this challenge to re-Wesleyanize the Church of the Nazarene!


Today, Sharron and I are in Concordia, KS in compliance to a subpoena I received to testify on behalf of Rev. Bryan Sprung in the entitled action pending in the Cloud County district court. I did not testify today but will be called upon tomorrow. Sharron and I will return to NC on Saturday.


We look forward to Sunday with special guest Dr. Mark Barnes - District Superintendent of the North Carolina Church of the Nazarene. Dr. Barnes will be preaching and conducting an installation service. Next Sunday (September 2) I am planning to preach from Acts 17:1-9 as we explore the establishment of the church in Thessalonica. In the days ahead I plan to preach through the book of First Thessalonians. My heart is stirring as I prepare my first series of messages for NRN. My desire is to preach with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and share the message of Christ clearly.


Acts 17:3b says "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ." This my friends, is truly a trustworthy statement.