All good things must come to an end...

Hello everyone,
I'm sorry I haven't been updating this blog more often over the past few months. Things have been pretty busy around here, and posting to my blog probably isn't the best use of my time at this point. And so, I am discontinuing my blog. I simply cannot continue to post new entries in a timely enough manner. So, let me direct you to Lindsey's blog (www.fourbroomes.blogspot.com). Thanks to everyone who's read this blog.
If I stumble upon something you must know about, I'll blog about it as a guest blogger on Lindsey's blog (if she'll let me do that - I think she's drawing up the contract now).
Keep following the Lord!

Recent Sermon Online...

Hello everyone! I hope you are having a great week this week.
I was given a chance to preach at Ingleside in the "Big Room" this past week, and you can watch the message online at www.ingleside.org. The video is on the home page - you just have to click on the little video icon. Enjoy!
Recently, Lindsey and I have been using the Life Journal, by Wayne Cordeiro. Here's my entry for today:
Scripture - "...that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are a people of God;" - I Peter 2:9-10
Observation - This is one of our purposes here on planet Earth. We are a people belonging to God. We are a people with a purpose - to declare the praises of the God who took you from darkness into light. Just think about that for a minute - you once were in darkness. Have you ever been in the dark? You know, when the power goes out in your neighborhood and there is no light as far as you can see? That's dark! God brought us out of the darkness and into His light! So, why are we still here? To declare His praises!
Application - Everything in my life should declare the praises of such a great God. If I can really grasp this concept, it should change the way I act and react. I once was not a people, but now I am a people. How? Through Jesus Christ! I need to live as a person of God. I am here to live for myself anymore - I have a King to serve. Will I live today as His child?

Looking for a good Bible reading plan?

For those of you who wish to read the Word of God, but aren't sure about where to start, this resource might be great for you! Check out these Life Journals to help you with your spiritual walk.

These are great tools for you who desire to have an intimacy with God. Click on one of these journals to be directed to the site.

The Divine Mentor

My pastor recently recommended reading The Divine Mentor, by Wayne Cordeiro. After finishing the work, I would also recommend this to believers young and old. In this work, Cordeiro reminds us that the Word of God is full of mentors. These mentors are just waiting to teach us and help give us understanding of our current experiences.
Cordeiro points back to the Scriptures as the only divinely inspired Word from God. As you read this book, you'll be challenged greatly by Cordeiro. Listen to some of these quotes:
"Life has given us two very effective teachers. Both are top-flight instructors, but neither comes cheap. While both are effective, both require something of us. We have to choose one or the other, and if we choose neither, the second will be chosen for us. The teachers are wisdom and consequences."
"God not only marked out these 66 books, He also breathed himself into the whole library and said to us, "If you will read this, I will let you sit with Jacob. I will let you walk through the deserts with Moses - and the same wisdom that I gave to Moses, I will transfer to you...if you will only take to heart the words written here."
"Your best friends will be found in the Bible. They are men and women who have been handpicked and ordained by God to befriend you. They will guide you and tutor you. No seminar, no conference, no leadership forum will outdo what you will learn from entering the Bible. To attempt a substitute is like parents allowing the media to raise their child."
I would recommend this book to you. Cordeiro hits the nail on the head throughout this work, and he reminds us that the Scriptures are sufficient. If you are looking for a great book to help you get on track in reading the Bible (or back on track), this is a wonderful piece to check out. As I read, I was encouraged time and time again to continue in His Word.

Oasis '09 Recap

Wow! Just got back in from our first ever Oasis summer camp with the Ingleside student ministry. What an incredible time!
Josh Via led worship along with an outstanding group of guys (tim, andy, nate, and Josh's wife Tasha :). The times of singing and praising were amazing. Our students connected with them from the very first strum until the last set of camp. If you are a youth pastor reading this, you absolutely have to bring in these guys! You will not be disappointed. They were ministry focused, and they loved on our students and leaders.
Bill Stanley brought the Word each morning and evening. Bill is a beast (6'8" - ??? lbs.). Bill connected with our students and spoke truth into their lives. He made an impact on our students. Bill is a great guy to serve with, and he did a great job as our camp speaker.
We also had Tenth Avenue North come for a concert. You may not have heard these guys yet - but they just received a Dove award for best new Christian artists. If you have a Christian radio station like K-love, you probably hear "By Your Side" every hour or so. These guys were some of the most humble and caring people I've ever met in the ministry. They were unassuming, and they absolutely demonstrated the attitude of Christ. The concert was great!
For me, there were many great moments of camp. The morning celebrations were fun, the afernoon recreation was awesome (led by our Executive Pastor Riley), the family group times were so great (30 leaders pouring into our students' lives), the worship sessions were outstanding and worship-filled, the late night was histerical (led by Justin and Philip - or "Bart" and "Lance"), fishing in the morning with my guys was enjoyable - and tiring, and the beach and resort were exellent. Still, the highlight of camp for me was the salvation of one of our students. God truly made him a new creation, and changed his heart.
Thank you Lord for doing something only you can do.

Ten Things I Learned About Batching It...

This morning I picked up Lindsey, her sister, and the kiddos from the airport in ATL. They've been gone for 10 days, and I've been baching it in Maconga (macon, ga). After 10 days on my own, I learned some things that I'd like to share with you. Here they are in random order:

1. "It is not good for man to be alone" - God sho' knew what He was talkin' bout.

2. My clothes really do not wash themselves. Seriously!

3. A house with 3 loud children is better than a quiet house.

4. Redbox can only entertain you for so long.

5. Season 9 of The King of Queens is pretty good. Lindsey got it for me while she was away.

6. You can really eat PB&J for dinner!

7. I really love my family.

8. I'm still not good over the phone.

9. God fashioned a great rib for me.

10. I have the best wife in the world and my life is 1000 Xs better when she's with me.

I am so thankful that I don't regularly batch it. God has blessed me in so many ways.

Secret Church

For the past year and a half, I have been influenced by the preaching and teaching of Dr. David Platt, pastor of The Church at Brook Hills, in Birmingham, AL. I first heard Platt at a conference in January 2008 in Chattanooga, TN. I was blown away by the passionate preaching of Platt - a believer that's my age!
I would encourage you to go to their website and listen to some recent messages. They are also on podcast.
You will not be disappointed by this teaching.
On the church site, you'll also find what's called "The Secret Church." Dr. Platt uses these efforts to teach the Word to the people of God. I would highly recommend it. I'm listening to one of these (4 parts) on the Old Testament. You can even print the notes out and follow along. If you've ever wondered what seminary is like, this could give you a taste - only it's better!
If you're in a place where you really want to learn more about the word of God, you have to check this out!

Latest Read

I've just finished Holy Discontent, by Bill Hybels. I must say that this read didn't "wow" me. This is the second book I've read by Hybels in the last year (the other was Volunteer Revolution). Each of these books list story after story of people who have gotten passionate for a cause or calling, and have pursued that fire. In HD, Hybels suggests that we all have a "holy discontent" moment. He used two Biblical examples - Moses and Nehemiah - to prove his point. These are the moments in our lives when we decide that we must act on our convictions. Modern day examples are given, like Bono and his support of AIDS foundations.

All in all, I did not enjoy these books. I love stories as much as the next guy, but I also love spiritual truth. Outside of a couple Biblical examples, it was a skyscraper (story upon story) book. Anyway, just thought I'd update you on the latest reading. I'm almost finished with a couple others as well. Have a great week!

Best Saturday in a while...

What a great Saturday!
This was quite possibly the most action packed and most exciting Saturday we've had in a while. Here's a rough outline of our day:
1. Went to the park - ate lunch and flew a kite.
2. Went to Bass Pro - Joshua asked us to buy an awesome yellow boat! That's my boy!
3. Got home - Paw Paw came to the crib.
4. Went to a Strawberry Patch - picked strawberries, ate home made ice cream, saw lots of animals, thought the kids might get attacked by several animals they got way too close to - peacock, steer, rooster, etc.
5. Ate at Nu Way Weiners - it's a Macon thing...
It was a busy day! It was a great day. Thank you, Lord, for such an awesome family!
For pictures, check out Lindsey's blog at www.fourbroomes.blogspot.com . She'll probably be posting some tomorrow.

life and death

This past weekend, we held my grandmother's funeral in Charlotte, NC. As I reflect on her life, I think about my own mortality. To be sure, we will all eventually die and stand before God someday (unless the Lord returns). That part doesn't concern me as much, because I know that "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved." I cried out to the Lord for salvation many years ago, and am ready to meet the Lord.
My greater concern is this life. How will I spend it? Will I make any difference? Will I be a good father? Will I be a good husband? Son? Follower of Jesus?
One of my favorite past times is vegging out in front of the TV set. I've grown quiet accustomed to just sitting and letting my wheels stop turning as I watch whichever latest and greatest show hit primetime.
When it comes to my life, I am resolved not to veg out. I hope and pray that God will find me faithful to Him and to my family and friends throughout my life.
How does this happen? Less of me and more of Him. Me says "Sit down. Take it easy. You've had a long day of work. Rest." He says "Spend time with me. Be still before Me. Love your wife as I loved you. Teach your children and love them. Love your neighbor as yourself."
I hope when it's all said and done, I will have made a difference. I hope that I'll be a husband that loved my wife, a father who loved his children, and a servant who loved God more than anything. A legacy doesn't happen overnight. It will take small steps over time...am I willing to put one foot in front of the other?

Mighty to Save...

This week, I reflect on a great Easter weekend. The Lord worked mightily at Ingleside this weekend. We made every effort to lift Him up, and He drew many men, women, boys and girls to Himself. It is a blessing to serve the Lord at Ingleside! I'd like to point you to a couple of items to help recap this weekend:
Check out this video that a local news station did of IBC.
Check out Lindsey's blog from last night.
Only God can change a heart and make it new. For some reason, we get to be a small part of what He does. What a great God!

God's Way vs. Man's Way

I am reading through Nehemiah currently. The other day, as I read Nehemiah 9, I was blown away by the contrast between God's way and man's way. In context, the wall of Jerusalem has now been rebuilt, and Ezra, the priest, stands before the people of God to read the Word of the Lord. Upon hearing the Word, the people lift their hands and worship God. Then, they bow low to the ground in worship. The Levites read the history of Israel to the people. It is in this passage that God is exalted. Listen to some of the descriptions of God:
Blessed be your glorious name...
You made the heavens...
You give life to everything.
You are the Lord God, who chose Abram...
You found his heart faithful to you...
You made a covenant with him.
You have kept your promise because you are righteous.
You saw the suffering of your people.
You heard their cry.
You sent miraculous signs..
You came down on Mount Sinai; you spoke to them from heaven.
You gave them bread from heaven.
Because of Your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert.
You gave your good spirit to instruct them.
You sustained them in the desert.
You gave them kingdoms...
You made their sons as numerous as the stars.
You brought them into the land.

Notice all the great things God did? Now listen to the response of the people of God:
They became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey your commands.
They refused to listen.
They failed to remember the miracles you performed among them.
They cast for themselves an image of a calf and worshiped it.
They rebelled against you.
They put your law behind their backs.
They killed your prophets.
They committed awful blasphemies.

Are you starting to see the same picture I am? Can you see that God is faithful even to those who do not deserve it? He always has been, and He still is today.
Listen to this verse:
"God demonstrates His own love toward us in this; while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8
To this day I do not understand how and why God is so merciful to us. How He could love the unlovable is baffling. Still, I celebrate and rejoice in His grace and mercy in my life. I hope that as we approach Easter Sunday, you'll be reminded that God loves you. He sent His Son to die on your behalf - not because you deserved it - but because He is good. Do you know the One who died for you?

You're How Old?

What a day this has been! Thanks to the modern technologies of texting, facebook, and blogging, I have received many birthday wishes. Thanks so much to all of you for wishing me a happy birthday. I sure do feel loved by you all.
This week, I'd like to take a minute to tell you some of the life lessons I've learned in the first tri-mester of my life (Lord willing).
1. There is no relationship more important than the relationship with the Lord. Without Him, all others fail.
2. Be willing to wait on the right woman. Wait on the Lord, and trust that He will take care of you.
3. Children ARE a blessing from the Lord.
4. Keep walking...don't ever stop walking with the Lord. You'll have bad days, hard times, and times when you don't think He'd want to walk with you. Just keep walking.
5. Family is important.
6. Don't sweat the small stuff. And it is almost always small stuff.

How about a few others?
- don't look up while a flock of geese are going overhead.
- always take an extra set of clothes when going fishing on a boat (just in case you fall in).
- when the gas light comes on, just go ahead and stop for gas.
- stop while you're ahead (provided you're ever ahead).
- when you're extremely tired - just be quiet (you'll probably say something dumb that you wish you could take back) - trust me.

Well, that's all folks. I would like to say that these 30 years have been full of joy, excitement, sorrow, loss, gain, hurt, blessing, and transition. Still, they have been great. The last 5 have been the best, though. My wife, Lindsey, has been the most amazing blessing God could have given me as a wife. Thank you, babe, for being faithful to me, sinful as I am.

God is with you!!!

Recently, I was spending time with Joshua just before "dark nap time," or bed time - as most people know it as. I sat in his room and watched him run around and try to find any excuse of why he shouldn't go to sleep.

Then, he turned the light off and left the room. I asked him to come back and turn on the light because it was so dark. He returned, turned the light on, and pointed his finger in the air and said, "GOD IS WITH YOU!!!" And then he turned the light off again.

Now, I'm sure we've said this to him before. But really, when you consider what my 3 year old was saying, he is exactly right. Even in the darkest times, when it seems that there is no hope, God is with you. Thanks, Joshua, for the reminder!

I've waited so long...(sing that again)

Hello everyone -
You've probably been wondering if I died recently (or perhaps if I'd gotten the dreaded #4 at the nearest Taco Bell and have been down for the count for a while). It has been a while since my last entry. I hope this one is helpful to you. This entry primarily is geared for parents of teenagers...enjoy!
We have just finished a parent training at Ingleside called "Becoming a Web-Savvy Parent." The following took place on Sunday night between 6:30 and 7:30 pm(read that last line with your best Jack Bauer voice).
We discussed internet filters and recommended covenant eyes. Covenant eyes offers web filtering as well as internet accountability. It will send you, the parent, a printable report of every page that has been viewed on your computer. You can check out more at www.covenanteyes.com . You may want to see what Josh Via says about the tool on www.joshvia.com.
We also mentioned that parents must be savvy in regard to entertainment (ie - movies, CDs, video games). One of the best sites to use is www.pluggedinonline.com . This site gives reviews of all the latest entertainment. If you want to see the content of a movie before you watch it, you must check out this site. Lindsey and I use it as well. The conversation in the Broome house usually goes something like this..."What do you want to rent?" "I'm up for whatever." "Hey, what about that movie called _______? I heard it was really awesome!" "Yeah, me too." "Hmmm, it's rated PG-13." "I wonder why." "Let's check out plugged in before we rent it." "Good plan." Sometimes Lindsey even gets in on the conversation I'm having with myself! You've gotta check this site out...especially before you buy your child the next CD, DVD, etc.
We mentioned Facebook, the mega-social network. Our advice is simple: If your child has a Facebook account, you also should have one. You need to be checking in on them to see what's happening in their social network.
Overall, what the high school pastor and I suggested to our parents is to be actively involved in your child's internet life. Don't allow them to have "secret places" on the world-wide web. The primary issue is their own protection and purity.
I hope you can use some of these tools in your family!

Is there a "u" in Zerubbabel?

One of my many weaknesses in life, and there are many, is being a great starter but a horrible finisher. You know what I mean? I will start a project with vigor and will sputter toward the end. I am constantly reminded of my failure to be a finisher. With the Lord's help, I have resolved to be more of a finisher than I have been in the past.
As I read through Ezra, I see evidence of a fellow sputterer - Zerubbabel. What a name! I'll take Fred over that one any day of the week. Zerubbabel appears in Ezra 3 and is one of the primary leaders in rebuilding the temple of God in Jerusalem. After the destruction of the temple in 586 B.C. and the exile in Babylon, King Cyrus of Persia allowed the people of God to return to Jerusalem. By the way, Isaiah had propesied this to happen over 100 years before this occurred. Back to Z - He helped lead the team to rebuild the temple of God. At first, all seems well. They even have a worship team leading them in songs of praise - not really a new concept, huh? But alas, Z suffered the fate as I have in the past. Opposition arose to the rebuilding of the temple, and these words are recorded -
"Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia." (4:24)
Can you relate to Z? Is there a little "u" in Zerubbabel?
I hope and pray that we can be faithful in the most vital parts of our lives. I pray that God will help us to be faithful to Him for life. May we not sputter in our spiritual walk with the Lord.
If you've never read through the Old Testament, I strongly suggest sitting down and reading this great history of our faith. You'll see so many people that remind you of yourself in some ways. This is our story, our history, our heritage.

You Have What It Takes...

I have recently read a short piece by John Eldredge called, You Have What It Takes: What Every Father Needs to Know. I truly loved this read. My buddy Josh Via (www.joshvia.com) got me started reading Eldredge after seeing his review of Epic.
If you are a father, this is a must read. The book is short (50 pages), but will challenge you in the way you father your sons and daughters. Eldredge basically offers that every boy and girl are asking a question in life. He proposes that you and I as fathers have the great task of answering their question. Read the book to find out what the questions are.
You know, there are some days when I feel like I'm doing a lousy job as a dad. After a long day of work, I find myself vegging out on the couch instead of making an impact on my children. Sometimes I feel my selfishness rising up within me. You know, that little voice that says, "Relax. You've had a long day. Rest now. Put on a movie for the kids. Take it easy. You deserve it! Think of all you've done today." Before you and the Lord, I confess and repent of this selfishness! I know that God is calling me to something greater as their father. God has called me to bring them up in the Lord and to love them by my deeds as much as by words.
Fatherhood is such a challenging task! But the rewards are also worth the effort. I hope you'll read this book (cost about $3), and I hope you'll find encouragement as you father your children. If you live in Macon, I'd love to let you borrow my copy. Just ask me sometime!

What Matters Most

I just finished reading What Matters Most: When No is better than Yes, by Doug Fields. This book is very similar to Choosing to Cheat, by Andy Stanley. If you are in the ministry and you're looking for honest insight about guarding your time, this is a great read. Learn from one of the biggest guys in student ministry. In this book, Doug takes an honest look at the potential pitfalls that every student pastor may face. Here's an exerpt:
"I beg you to truthfully answer these two vital questions:
1. Do I like the person I've become as a result of my ministry?
2. Is the work I'm doing for God destroying the work of God in me?"
I know several guys in student ministry who do not keep track of their time or hours. Eventually, they feel disconnected from their family, the Lord, and even the ministry they've worked so hard to lead. This book is a great reminder to keep the main thing the main thing.

Amazing Verse of Scripture...

As I read through 2 Chronicles 16(that's right! Chronicles!), I discovered a verse today that made me truly stop and reflect. Check out this verse:
"For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him."
In this scenario, King Asa had made an agreement with the king of Aram to help protect him from the invasion of Baasha king of Israel. After all God had done for his people, this King turned to others for help rather than to the God of the universe. Then, God sends a seer named Hanani to Asa and speaks these words to him.
Just think about these words - "For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth..." - Whoa! You mean that God is active and alive? He's not just a benevolent deity checking things out from His view in Heaven? He is watching us - why? "To strengthen the hearts of those who are fully committed to Him." Read that verse again and let the weight fall on you. Those two words especially - fully committed - are most definitely convicting. Am I fully committed to Him? Are you?
I rejoice that we have a God who is contantly aware and at work in our world.
I am reminded again today that God desires all of me - not just the Sunday me, or the someday me - "someday, I'll start...", or the part of me that I allow myself to give to Him. What would I be like if I gave Him all of me? What would our country look like if all believers took this challenge?

5 Years and Counting!

5 Years have passed since we said "I do." On January 10, Lindsey and I celebrated our anniversary. It's been an amazing 5 years together. I still remember the wedding day in St. Louis (or Nellyville as Ross and George refer to it). It was a beautiful service that Lindsey and her mom had worked so hard to organize. That day, Lindsey and I made some serious vows to one another. We have both done our best to keep those sacred vows.
Let me say that I am a blessed man. Why in this world would Lindsey agree to marry me? Maybe it was my cool pick up lines - "you should meet us for lunch - we won't kill you or anything" or "Brad, let's go. We're late as can be." No, probably not.
It must have been the Lord that brought us together, and it's been Him who has kept us together. In Lindsey, I see the woman of God as mentioned in Proverbs 31. Of course, she wouldn't agree - but I'm not sure the Proverbs woman would have either. My wife is my greatest encourager, helper, and friend. I truly enjoy spending time with Lindsey.
I didn't blog about it 11 days ago - but I thought I shouldn't let this great occasion pass without mentioning it. My wife is the greatest! Condolences to Ralph Kramden...Alice was pretty good.