I got this video from Josh Griffin’s blog. Its funny, yet rather sobering to see some of the cheesy churchology played out in an organization outside the church. Check it out…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7_dZTrjw9I]
Join the Conversation, What’s one of the cheesiest things you’ve seen a church do?
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Click Photo to Watch Video
11 year old Brenden Foster is no longer with us on this earth, but his legacy will live on. He lost his battle with cancer since I posted the first story about him HERE. As you can see in this new CNN Report, Brenden inspired several groups, including some schools to get involved in helping the homeless who are less fortunate than any of us who have the capabilities of viewing this blog right now.
I wonder how many of us would lie in a hospital bed with only a few days left on this Earth and instead of thinking about the sad state we were in, would spend our time thinking of others and how we could help them? I can’t help but to be inspired by Brenden. I can’t help but to ask myself, “What’s my excuse for sitting still?” I can’t help but to ask, “What’s your excuse for sitting still?” Shane preached this morning about “The Kingdom” and his main point was, The Gospel is lived out with your hands and feet, not your body in a seat.
If you live in the CSRA, especially if you attend The Church @ Greenbrier, you can join us at The Augusta Rescue Mission, this Thursday (yes that is Thanksgiving) to serve the poor and homeless a Thanksgiving meal. It starts at 9 a.m. and most people are working until 2 p.m., but you are free to leave earlier if you need to. Join the Conversation, What can you do to make Brenden’s dying wish come true?
Video URL: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/11/22/jaffe.wa.boy.dying.wish.obit.komo
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Adoption Rocks T-Shirt with Long Sleeves
Look what I can do!
The cold weather is coming in, and I can still wear my “Adoption Rocks” t-shirt. My white thermal long sleeve shirt fits perfectly underneath and I must say they go perfect together!
Are you looking for a way you can be a help to someone this holiday season? Looking for a great Christmas gift for that friend or loved one? The Adoption Rocks t-shirt is that perfect gift. Not only are you giving someone a great gift they can use over and over again, but you are helping provide a new home for a baby girl or for two siblings.
My friend Neely and her husband Josh are on the waiting list to adopt a little girl or siblings from Africa. She had these t-shirts made up to help raise the money its costing them to make the adoption happen. You can go to http://www.onemomtrying.blogspot.com to read about their adoption journey, but also most importantly to help them make it happen. When you go to Neely’s blog, look to the right hand sidebar and there is an order form, select your size and color and then select the “Buy Now” button to place your secure order.
Don’t let the cold weather be an excuse not to help someone! Help provide a baby girl or siblings the warmth of a home and a loving family by buying a shirt today. In fact, I think it would be ok to buy 5 for Christmas gifts too! 
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If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord – and he will repay you! Proverbs 19:17
I found this verse interesting. People always talk about being ‘the hands and feet of Jesus’ to help those who are in need, but how about the ‘bank of Jesus?’ I think a lot of us look at giving to the poor in terms of what we have financially, we make comments like, “When God blesses me with extra, then I can give to others.” However, I get the impression that God works like this, “You give from whatever I’ve already given you, and then I’ll repay you based on your kindness.”
To me this puts a new perspective on Matthew 25:40 (MSG) where Jesus says, whatever we do to those overlooked and ignored, we do it to Him. Proverbs is saying that we are not giving our money to the poor…we are giving a loan to God, he’s just predesignated that he wants the money to go, and he wants it to go to those who are overlooked and ignored. This promise from Proverbs is not limited to “Christians.” I see tons of secular businesses that are very successful, and many times if you look behind the scenes they are highly involved in charitable giving. I just think the Church should be leading the way…
This is personally something I have to work on. My family is definitely not rich, but that cannot be an excuse! Join the Conversation…What do you think? Is God’s credit good enough at your bank?
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A few weeks ago I was given the privilege to preach at my church for our series Rock Band, relationships in Concert. This was a tough message for me, I seriously felt like I was speaking at a counseling session. It was probably tough because of the hypocrite story I shared in the message. Despite that, I had several people come to me afterward and share that they received some encouragement or help from the message, so I thought I would post it here, in hopes other people may do the same.
CLICK HERE to download the Audio.
I am not the best speaker in the world, but I trust that if God gave me the opportunity to speak, he can overcome the flaws to get his message across. For more messages from The Church at Greenbrier CLICK HERE for instruction to our podcast or HERE to go straight to the Greenbrier I-Tunes podcast.
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Rick Warren writes in the Purpose Driven Life…
What happens when one part of your body fails to function? You get sick. The rest of your body suffers. Imagine if your liver decided to start living for itself: “I’m tired! I don’t want to serve the body anymore! I want a year off just to be fed. I’ve got to do what’s best for me! Let some other part take over.” What would happen? Your body would die. Today thousands of local churches are dying because of Christians who are unwilling to serve. They sit on the sidelines as spectators, and the Body suffers.
1 Corinthians 12:7 (NLT) says…
A Spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
Rick points out in the book that we are do not serve to be saved, rather we are saved to serve. One of the reasons Christ gives us new life is so that we can die to our old selves and live as Christ has called us to live. As Christ Followers we are given gifts and according to 1 Corinthians that gift’s purpose is to help each other.
Join the Conversation: Are you killing your church by sitting on the sideline and not serving? Or are you using your gifts and new life to help your church thrive by helping others, what does that look like in your life?
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Looking for a great Christmas gift for that special man in your life? Look no further than the Mandle!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7ZL9gTsxb8]
I was led to this video via Twitter by my friends Jim Clark and Doug Fields.
Do you Twitter? Follow me HERE.
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You’ve got to watch the entire show about this young man, Adam Bender, who was born with cancer and had to have one of his legs amputated. This boy has one of the biggest hearts I have ever witnessed to overcome an obstacle that could have kept him from living life to its fullest. This is a true testament that you can do anything you put your mind, your heart, and your strength to. Between THIS story about Brandon Marshall and his huge heart to help people in need while he himself is confined to a hospital bed waiting to die and Adam Bender, I feel about an inch tall, but I can see a bright future for this generation. They definitely put a lot of the adults I know to shame, and that’s sad! What I see in these boys is pure Passion and passion can move mountains!
Join the Conversation: What are you allowing to hold you back in life?
h/t: E:60
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Brandon Marshall is an 11 year old boy who is dying of Lukemia…he has one dying wish, to feed the homeless, this is a touching story that is well worth your time. Do you have a blog? Share Brandon’s story there. Vision can be shared from a hospital bed.
This is one more example of how Jesus will use anyone to bring about his plans and his purposes, he’ll even use the sick. If you think you’ve got it all together, you may just be eliminating yourself from being a candidate for Christ to use.
I think Brandon may ask, What’s Your Excuse for Sitting on your Butt?
P.S. You may need a box of kleenex.
Problems watching? http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/11/09/jaffey.wa.last.wish.komo
h/t: CNN
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Kurt Johnston is the Middle School Pastor at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. He’s been an inspiration to thousands of youth pastors across the country for years, especially middle school pastors. As a thank you for all Kurt has done for youth pastors, I thought I would do a little PI (Private Investigator) work to find his long lost twin brother…
Luke and his family are from the Portland, Oregon area and have been attending our church for the last few months. When he walked in the door I had to do a double take because he looks just like Kurt, the pictures I provided are close resemblences, but if they were together in person, it would be even closer.
Luke and Kurt are not really long lost twins, just in case you thought I was serious, but they do look a like.
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