I've updated now on our website www.birchtreefellowship.com the "How to know God" section under the New to BTF? menu.
It was a lot of prayer, thought and work that went into it. If you read my blog, please review it, I'd appreciate any thoughts or feedback!
God bless,
Pastor Eric
Monday, February 11, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Team #7 Formed
Today we met at Hoffmantown Baptist Church for the genesis of what would become team #7 of the Not So Extreme Makeover.
So far the team members are:
Eric (Lead)
Marie (Needs assesment)
Joy (Needs assesment)
Kolan (Needs assesment)
Lisa (Needs asssesment)
Allen (Handyman)
Mike (Light lifting)
Char (Decorating)
We still need a Seasoned Servant, Cook and Heavy Lifter
We prayed about which family to bless, and selected our top three potential, but we will be grateful with whatever family God puts in our path. May this be all about Him, may He be glorified, may He be praised!
Our followup meeting will be on Tuesday night at 6:30pm.
God bless,
Pastor Eric
So far the team members are:
Eric (Lead)
Marie (Needs assesment)
Joy (Needs assesment)
Kolan (Needs assesment)
Lisa (Needs asssesment)
Allen (Handyman)
Mike (Light lifting)
Char (Decorating)
We still need a Seasoned Servant, Cook and Heavy Lifter
We prayed about which family to bless, and selected our top three potential, but we will be grateful with whatever family God puts in our path. May this be all about Him, may He be glorified, may He be praised!
Our followup meeting will be on Tuesday night at 6:30pm.
God bless,
Pastor Eric
Not so Xtreme Makeover
Kolan, Lisa, Marie and I have decided to join the local missionary effort at Hoffmantown dubbed "the not so extreme makeover"
In a nutshell, Hoffmantown Baptist has committed to make a difference in the local community with a concentrated effort between now and the end of spring break. We are having our first "go team" meeting today after church and then we have another meeting on Tuesday night.
I'm excited to see what God will do through us. As a fellowship, we've committed to purchase something like an oven or something similar to be donated to a family in the area. We just pray that God would lead us to which one.
BREAK BREAK
I finally finished my Greek study of 2 Timothy 1:1-2 and the grand total was 14 hours of study.
I immediately began my next Greek study of 2 Timothy 3-7 and so far I'm three words into the first verse and it has taken me one and a half hours to study. I pray that God would continue to give me the passion to seek out His Word in such a fashion, it has truly blessed me to do so. I also pray that my time gets shorter to get through the work, there is so much to do beyond what I'm currently doing and it never feels like I have enough time.
BREAK BREAK
Kolan gets home today and will be in town for 9 days, we will be setting a couple days aside to pray with one another for direction. So please be in prayer for us as a ministerial team.
God bless!
Pastor Eric
p.s. Lydia, if you are still reading, thanks again so much.. the book has already blessed me.
In a nutshell, Hoffmantown Baptist has committed to make a difference in the local community with a concentrated effort between now and the end of spring break. We are having our first "go team" meeting today after church and then we have another meeting on Tuesday night.
I'm excited to see what God will do through us. As a fellowship, we've committed to purchase something like an oven or something similar to be donated to a family in the area. We just pray that God would lead us to which one.
BREAK BREAK
I finally finished my Greek study of 2 Timothy 1:1-2 and the grand total was 14 hours of study.
I immediately began my next Greek study of 2 Timothy 3-7 and so far I'm three words into the first verse and it has taken me one and a half hours to study. I pray that God would continue to give me the passion to seek out His Word in such a fashion, it has truly blessed me to do so. I also pray that my time gets shorter to get through the work, there is so much to do beyond what I'm currently doing and it never feels like I have enough time.
BREAK BREAK
Kolan gets home today and will be in town for 9 days, we will be setting a couple days aside to pray with one another for direction. So please be in prayer for us as a ministerial team.
God bless!
Pastor Eric
p.s. Lydia, if you are still reading, thanks again so much.. the book has already blessed me.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Active Web Site for BTF!!!!!
Wow! Thanks to Steve at Myflock.com our website is now active.
You can check out our website still in progress at www.birchtreefellowship.com
I'm very excited about this! Obviously it is a work in progress, any suggestions, thoughts and or comments are appreciated.
The next step is to get birchtreefellowship.org to point to our site as well, this might take a little more time.
I also want to get our emails set up as soon as possible. Thanks again Steve for your help in getting this done!
God bless,
Pastor Eric
You can check out our website still in progress at www.birchtreefellowship.com
I'm very excited about this! Obviously it is a work in progress, any suggestions, thoughts and or comments are appreciated.
The next step is to get birchtreefellowship.org to point to our site as well, this might take a little more time.
I also want to get our emails set up as soon as possible. Thanks again Steve for your help in getting this done!
God bless,
Pastor Eric
IRS - Dates - Potential delays
Today we received in BTF's mail an Acknowledgement of Application from the IRS. Basically it doesn't say much.
It simply says that they have received our Application for exemption from federal income tax and that it will take them about 60 days to either let us know that we have been approved or that they need more information.
At the end of the letter it says that they are experiencing delays in working applications that require further development.
Please pray that our application process will go smoothly.
God bless,
Pastor Eric
It simply says that they have received our Application for exemption from federal income tax and that it will take them about 60 days to either let us know that we have been approved or that they need more information.
At the end of the letter it says that they are experiencing delays in working applications that require further development.
Please pray that our application process will go smoothly.
God bless,
Pastor Eric
Friday, February 8, 2008
Grace Mercy and Peace to you
Grace, Mercy and Peace... I extend to you my brothers and sisters of BTF.
In my studies on 2 Timothy 1:1-2, I've been spending a lot of time on these three little words. I figured I'd share with you all some of what I've been looking at.
Grace is the word charis; genitive, and it means literally “to rejoice; a favor done without expectation of return; the absolutely free expression of the loving kindness of God to men finding its only motive in the bounty and benevolence of the Giver; unearned and unmerited favor.”
.
In this passage it refers to the grace, favor and goodwill of God and Christ as exercised toward men, it is a blessing contained in a salutation.
.
Mercy is the word eleos and it means “compassion”.
.
In this passage eleos refers to the mercy of God through Christ and the idea of mercies and blessings of every kind. Again, it is a blessing contained in a salutation.
.
Peace is the word eirene; genitive, feminine, noun and it means “peace”.
.
We often have such a misunderstanding of what it is to have "peace". People often feel that peace is the ability to be indifferent to outside influences, or the ability to be undisturbed, or unconcerned with things. But this my friends is a "worldly peace" and not of God. This sort of peace is always dependent on external conditions!
.
The NT concept of peace has nothing to do with indifference or apathy, nor does it have to do with selfish nondisturbance. The peace which God gives is never to be identified with selfish unconcern. In addition, God’s peace is independent of outside conditions and is the fruit of an objective real salvation with God. In other words only Christians can have it!
.
Contrast charis which is God’s free grace and gift displayed in the forgiveness of sins as offered to men in their guilt. God’s mercy, eleos, is extended for the alleviation of the consequences of sin. Grace identifies the free nature of salvation, that which is unmerited and without obligation. Mercy is the application of grace and reminds us that redemptive freedom rescued us from the pathetic condition of our sinfulness.
.
Peace, eirene, refers us to the effect of salvation, namely, that we were set free from the condemnation of sin and reconciled to God. This is true not only objectively in that we no longer stand before God as enemies but now as beloved children; but this is also true subjectively in that we have been relieved of the hostility in our hearts toward God and the torment of guilt in our consciences.
.
So my friends at BTF, it is my strong desire for you that you would have charis, eleos, and eirene, and that God would continue to move in your lives!
.
God bless,
.
Pastor Eric
In my studies on 2 Timothy 1:1-2, I've been spending a lot of time on these three little words. I figured I'd share with you all some of what I've been looking at.
Grace is the word charis; genitive, and it means literally “to rejoice; a favor done without expectation of return; the absolutely free expression of the loving kindness of God to men finding its only motive in the bounty and benevolence of the Giver; unearned and unmerited favor.”
.
In this passage it refers to the grace, favor and goodwill of God and Christ as exercised toward men, it is a blessing contained in a salutation.
.
Mercy is the word eleos and it means “compassion”.
.
In this passage eleos refers to the mercy of God through Christ and the idea of mercies and blessings of every kind. Again, it is a blessing contained in a salutation.
.
Peace is the word eirene; genitive, feminine, noun and it means “peace”.
.
We often have such a misunderstanding of what it is to have "peace". People often feel that peace is the ability to be indifferent to outside influences, or the ability to be undisturbed, or unconcerned with things. But this my friends is a "worldly peace" and not of God. This sort of peace is always dependent on external conditions!
.
The NT concept of peace has nothing to do with indifference or apathy, nor does it have to do with selfish nondisturbance. The peace which God gives is never to be identified with selfish unconcern. In addition, God’s peace is independent of outside conditions and is the fruit of an objective real salvation with God. In other words only Christians can have it!
.
Contrast charis which is God’s free grace and gift displayed in the forgiveness of sins as offered to men in their guilt. God’s mercy, eleos, is extended for the alleviation of the consequences of sin. Grace identifies the free nature of salvation, that which is unmerited and without obligation. Mercy is the application of grace and reminds us that redemptive freedom rescued us from the pathetic condition of our sinfulness.
.
Peace, eirene, refers us to the effect of salvation, namely, that we were set free from the condemnation of sin and reconciled to God. This is true not only objectively in that we no longer stand before God as enemies but now as beloved children; but this is also true subjectively in that we have been relieved of the hostility in our hearts toward God and the torment of guilt in our consciences.
.
So my friends at BTF, it is my strong desire for you that you would have charis, eleos, and eirene, and that God would continue to move in your lives!
.
God bless,
.
Pastor Eric
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Prayer
Prayer is not about getting an answer from God, it is about getting a hold of God. - Chambers
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