Pastors Round Table / Lab @ NAMB

NAMB Headquarters / Alpharetta, GA

One of the many, many things that I love about being a Southern Baptist is that we have learned that we can do so much more together than we can individually. I have experienced the power of this truth in the past couple of days.

My friend and former pastor, Dr. Hershael York, is passionate about Kingdom work. He finds great pleasure in influencing and teaching pastors who are preparing for the field (he teaches preaching at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) as well as those already on the field.

Instructional time led by Dr. York.

So, he asked 24 pastors to make this trip to NAMB headquarters (North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention) in Alpharetta, GA. This would provide a brief but productive pastoral get-away where we could be encouraged and instructed. It would also provide an opportunity for pastors to network and build relationships with other pastors. Further, it provided an opportunity for NAMB to continue bridging the gap between SBC entities and the local church by way of the pastor.

The folks at NAMB were so gracious to each of us! They were generous in providing for our accommodations, our afternoon and evening meals, a tour through the CNN headquarters on Tuesday afternoon, giving every pastor a stack of new books (it often feels like Christmas when a pastor is given books!), an enjoyable tour of the NAMB facilities while getting to meet some of the folks that serve there, and so much more. Kevin Ezell, the President of NAMB, who stays extremely busy, made it a point to drop by to visit with us.

Of course, the instructional time with Dr. York was fantastic. It is always helpful to hear from a pastor who is farther down the road of ministry as he speaks about lessons the Lord has taught Him along the way. But, Dr. York doesn't simply regurgitate principles. He has a wealth of stories that illustrate how he has put the principles into practice. I had a few "aha" moments today and am looking forward to prayerfully putting some of the things I've learned into practice.

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I took quite a few pictures today. I will put some of them below with a few words underneath.

Our group listening to some information about the various regions in which
NAMB is encouraging churches to partner with new church plants.
Westside Baptist has a partnership with a church plant in Denver through the Send Network.

Kim Robinson, Vice President of Marketing and Ministry Support at NAMB, is
speaking to us in Kevin Ezell's office on our tour. 

This display keeps up the latest total of churches that are partnering with church plants
through NAMB's emphasis, Send North America. It is exciting to see a church planting
movement taking place as folks, who may have never heard the Gospel, are being reached
through churches that are planted in their neighborhoods.

NAMB has a "War Room" on the 5th floor. This room has names, churches, church plants,
and other information that surround the individuals who enter this room with the purpose
 of interceding.

If you watch the news and see the Red Cross delivering meals int he time of a national disaster,
you can take it to the bank that NAMB is behind the scenes cooking the meals, etc. Our Disaster
Relief Operations Center is second to none as it mobilizations thousands of Southern Baptists
to help in a time of need.

Take it to the Lord in prayer

Have you ever felt overwhelmed at what seemed to be impossible circumstances? Maybe things even seemed utterly hopeless?

Sometimes, life can do that to us. We live in a broken world, after all.

Well, what is to be done? Friend, I read a story in Isaiah 36-37 this morning that gives incredible hope! It is a truth that we all need to remember.

Sennacherib, the supreme ruler over Assyria, sent his army to attack Hezekiah and the land of Judah. The battle wouldn't have even been close. There was absolutely no way that Judah could prevail.

What was Hezekiah to do? Throw up his hands in despair. No one could have blamed him if he did.

But he didn't.

While he was filled with despair and feelings of hopeless, he took the matter to the Lord. A letter had been written to clarify just how hopeless the situation was ... but Hezekiah took that letter to the Lord.

Isaiah 37:14-15 "Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers, read it, then went up to the LORD’s temple and spread it out before the LORD. Then Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: ..."

Did God already know what was in the letter? Yep.

Did Hezekiah inform God of anything He didn't already know. Nope.

But, God was pleased when Hezekiah brought the matter to Him, opened up the issue, told Him all about it, and explained what needed to happen.

Essentially, Hezekiah bore his soul to God. He expressed his fears. He expressed his feelings of hopelessness. But, he also said that God must move and that God could absolutely do something about the problem.

And God did!

Friend, do not settle into despair when life gets tough. It's easy to do. I have done it all too often. But, Christians have the powerful resource of prayer in times of trial.

Will God answer us quickly? No necessarily.

Will God grant our requests every time? No.

But, that's where faith comes in. We go to Him, tell Him what's going on, and then trust Him with the results.

Let's strive to live in victory today. Our Father, if you are saved, is the Ruler of the Universe, after all.

Antares and Worshiping God

Ok, I love star-gazing. I'm looking to the SW and see the red planet, Mars. To the right of Mars is the bright planet, Saturn. If you look below Saturn, the bright star is Antares. That star is so far away that the light you are seeing began its journey (traveling 186,000 miles per second) before Columbus sailed the ocean blue.

Genesis 1:16 "And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars."

When you read Genesis 1:16, it's almost as if the stars, in their incomprehensible immensity, were an afterthought. "Oh, by the way, He made the stars, too. No big deal." Our God is awesome!

Walking down memory lane

Today was a wonderful walk down memory lane! Here's what happened:

From 1995-1997, I was a member at Bellevue Baptist Church near Memphis, Tennessee. 

I can see the 3rd story windows of the Military Sunday School class I used to teach!
It's under the center overhang.

In those years, I was also the Assistant to the Military Minister. The fringe benefits that I enjoyed included sitting under the preaching ministry and leadership of Dr. Adrian Rogers while getting an insiders look at an incredible church. 

I cannot adequately express how grateful I am that God gave me those few years! Some 20 years later, I still think back on them with great fondness!

In the Spring of 1996, I began dating Kim. It didn't take me long to realize that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. 

Our dating relationship was almost completely long-distance (she lived in Lexington, KY and I lived in Germantown, TN). So, when I heard that she and a singles church group were coming to Bellevue to watch the annual "Singing Christmas Tree" performance, I formulated my plan to propose to her. After the performance, we went out to see some Christmas lights. About an hour later, I came back to Bellevue's property, the front lawn was lit up with festive lights, and I knelt down beside a pond and proposed to her. I had to ask a second time because she began crying and didn't give me a "yes" quickly enough.  

She told me the next day that she didn't sleep a wink that night. Here's a picture she took with her new engagement ring:

The next day, the singles church group headed back to Lexington, KY. On the way, they saw a couch on the side of the road and decided to take a crazy picture on it. Kim is in the red sweater.

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It's hard to believe that this all happened 20 years ago! (Time flies by too quickly!)

So, today, it was surreal as I was listening to a sermon by Adrian Rogers on my podcast app as I pulled onto Bellevue's property. I was overwhelmed with wonderful memories from when I frequented this place. 

But, there was one special place I wanted to visit - the place where I knelt down to propose to Kim! They've changed the spot in the past 20 years: the road has been widened and there is now shrubbery and a waterfall near the spot. (That would have made it even more romantic 20 years ago!)

I proposed to Kim at the far left of this picture.
The trees and shrubbery weren't there 20 years ago.
There is also now a bench and a small waterfall.
I guess they are commemorating the spot where Kim said, "Yes." HA

I proposed to Kim on the other side of this tree (that wasn't there 20 years ago).
It's neat that there is now beautiful flowers and a small waterfall in this spot.

Heaven is real

Too often, we treat our life like it is the only reality. We wake up, we get ready for the day, go to school or work, come home with family, do some chores and then settle in for a night's sleep only to do it all over again the next day. It's what we experience so it is "real."

We talk about Heaven and may even say we are looking forward to being there. Yet, if we are completely honest, too many Christians treat this life as "real" while treating Heaven as something surreal, "spiritual," and foreign. Since we can't see it, hear it, or touch it, (being completely honest) it may not even seem relevant to many who claim to follow Jesus.

So, with this mindset, we settle into this life and live it as an end in itself. We may not think about laying up treasures in Heaven like Jesus told us to because we are too busy laying up treasures in our garage. We aren't consumed with living in such a way that we will hear Jesus' words of affirmation on Judgment Day because we are consumed with hearing words of affirmation from our co-workers and peers.

In 1 Peter 2:11-12, the Lord speaks directly to this propensity when He tells us to change our thinking. We are to intentionally force our minds to realize that we are only temporary residents in this life and we are on a pilgrimage to our eternal home which is more real than anything we presently experience. And as we keep our eyes focused on Heaven and the day when Jesus' will assess how we lived this life, it will motivate us to see this life as an opportunity to show others that our God is so wonderful that we gladly submit to His authority. In so doing, we will provide a powerful example to those who are watching who will also stand before Jesus one day.

1 Peter 2:11-12

"11 Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. 12 Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world."

A hope-filled future for the down-and-out

Is life tough for you right now? Maybe you even feel like things are out of control.


Sometimes life can get that way. But, the promises of God that He has given to His children are intended to keep our chins up. They are intended to give us the motivation to keep going.


I came across a precious promise this morning. Looking at it with the lenses of the New Testament, it reminds us that our God is fully in control. He is far above whatever things we are dealing with. And even... if we are in desperate straits, we will one day relax among royalty (in Heaven). So, dear believer, take heart!

Psalm 113:5-8 (NLT)
Who can be compared with the LORD our God,
who is enthroned on high?
He stoops to look down
on heaven and on earth.
He lifts the poor from the dust
and the needy from the garbage dump.
He sets them among princes,
even the princes of his own people!"

National Mall with my boys (July 11, 2016)

We intended to take it easy today after a big day yesterday. Yet, after walking Kim to the National Gallery of Art this morning, my sons and I put in quite a few miles. We visited the Capital Building, the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court, the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and the Holocaust Museum. Some of the pictures appear below.

I took this picture after walking a mile to the National Gallery of Art and moments before we

said "good-bye" to Kim as she embarked on her first day as a fellow at the National Gallery.

The moment seemed surreal to my sons as we approached the Capital Building. I pointed
to the spot where our U.S. Presidents have taken the oath of office and they seemed
to have an incredible feel for this location in American history.

I took this picture only because it looked pretty cool. I wish their had been a few clouds
to add yet more color.

Here, we were standing outside the Library of Congress. My sons really wanted to visit
this location because of it's use in the movie, "National Treasure."

Here we are near the U.S. Supreme Court.

Standing on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court.

I'm REALLY getting tired of expensive, greasy meals. But, this is the best we could find
as we neared the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.

I took this picture of my boys on the second floor of the Air and Space Museum.
I liked the visual of Kim's workplace in the background. You can see the National
Gallery of Art between Zach and Sean.

Another picture of my boys in the Air and Space Museum.

We ended our discovery tour by visiting the Holocaust Museum. Yet, I didn't take many pictures there. It was too solemn of a place to snap pictures.