Introducing "The Gospel Project" -- August 31, 2012

Happy Labor Day Weekend one and all!

If you will be out of town this weekend, have a great time and be safe.

If you are in town, meet me at Sunday School at 9:50 Sunday morning.

Why?

We are starting a new curriculum.  It's called "The Gospel Project".  The focus is tying everything in both the Old and New Testaments back to the Gospel.

If you got a book last week, you'll find two devotions you can do.  The first is on page 8; the second on page 9.

The title of our lesson is "The God Who Speaks".  The topics and scripture passages are:

1.  The God who speaks has authority -- Genesis 1:1-3
2.  The God who speaks is merciful to reveal Himself to us --Exodus 3:2-6
3.  The God who speaks gives us tasks --Genesis 1:27-30

None of these verses will be new to you, but our take on them will be.

So join us at 9:50 a.m. Sunday morning.  You'll be glad you did.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” -- Mark Twain

Go Show Jesus' Love -- August 27, 2012

This Saturday begins the college football season.

I am so looking forward to it.  I love getting into that zone where the only thing that matters is the ebb and flow of my Crimson Tide.

I’m passionate about my team.  So much so that when my wife and I were dating, each of my friends asked her not to make a final decision on me until she had watched me watch an Alabama football game.  They told her that if she could handle that, everything else was a piece of cake.

Why?  Because I’m that fan that will pace back and forth during a series, get on my hands and knees for a long field-goal kick, and argue with referee calls that go against BAMA.  When the girls were little, I sometimes scared them so much with my antics that they started crying.  I’m mellower now, but still passionate.

Watching a game is also an isometric exercise adventure.  What do I mean?  Well, an isometric exercise is when you contract your muscle and then let it relax.  Whether it’s offense, defense, or special teams, I am constantly tensing and relaxing.  It’s probably the most exercise I get all week.

You may be the same way.  Here’s the rub for all of us though.  We’ll show that passion on Saturday, then come in Sunday morning with the passion of a wet paper towel.

I’m not advocating showing up to the worship service with John 3:16 painted on your chest, but we need to have that same dedication on Sunday that we have on Saturday.  It might even look to others that we are enjoying ourselves during Big Church.

I’m not the guy to give a rah-rah speech like your favorite coach does.  But I will put my passion into presenting our lesson to you with as much energy as God gives me.  From there, it’s up to you.  My prayer every week is that you find some nugget of understanding that you can take with you through your week.

Jeremiah spent his forty years of ministry saying just one thing.  And no one listened.   

I can’t promise you that you will be successful every time you witness to someone.  The Holy Spirit will do the heavy lifting; you just have to present the gospel.

So here is your nugget for this week…

You want the entire New Testament summed up in four words?  Here it is:  “Go show Jesus’ love”.

“Go”     — Christianity is active.  It isn’t to be horded, but instead to be taken to others.

“Show” — Christians are called to model Christ’s actions.

“Jesus” — He was the perfect sacrifice for the world’s sins and was raised by God on the third day.

“Love”   — People want to be loved so much they’ll do anything for it.

If you truly want to accomplish something for Jesus, you have to be prepared.  That means studying scripture, praying for God’s guidance, fellowshipping with other believers, and participating in worship.  Look at every figure in the New Testament and they did those four things.  It’s the only way to train for the Christian life.

Walking out the doors of our classroom yesterday placed you in the mission field.  You will be tempted, sorely tempted, to water down the message that the only way to God is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.  Don’t give in to that temptation. 

GO.  SHOW.  JESUS’.  LOVE.

Make it a great week!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“You have to find something that you love enough to be able to take risks, jump over the hurdles and break through the brick walls that are always going to be placed in front of you. If you don’t have that kind of feeling for what it is you’re doing, you’ll stop at the first giant hurdle.” —George Lucas

A PSA and a Serious Question -- August 24, 2012

The following is an important public service announcement:

If you are ever going to be on time for Sunday School, this week is it.

Don't do it for me.  Do it for your kids.  What do I mean?

This Sunday is Promotion Sunday.  Your kids will promote to their next class.  It's a great time for them to feel like "bigger" boys and girls.

But the system works smoothly only if your kids are in their classes on time.  Remember, the official start time for Sunday School (as listed on the home page of the LPBC website) is 9:40 a.m.  Did your read that as 9:40 a.m.?  One more time--9:40 a.m.

Why is that important?  You'll drop your kids off in their usual rooms.  The teachers will coordinate the "march of the masses" to their next room.  But this only works if you have your kids to church on time (9:40 a.m., remember?).  Come in late and you and your kids won't know where to go.

So be on time this week.  As an added bonus, you'll have more time to shoot the breeze when you make it to our classroom.

End of public service announcement.

Here's a question:  "How long do you keep trying until you finally give up?"

Ponder that question for a moment. 

Is it a fair question?  Would you want more information before answering?  Is it dependent upon the situation?

We'll be tap-dancing around the edges of that question on Sunday.  The lesson's entitled "Persevere in Obedience".  The 'one thing to know' from the teacher guide says "This lesson is about persevering in serving the Lord by refusing to compromise godly convictions no matter what the cost."

We finish our study in the Book of Jeremiah this week.  In it, you'll see some of the things Jeremiah had to endure while telling the people and the king what God wanted them to hear.

Our text comes from Jeremiah 37:11-17, Jeremiah 38:4-6, and Jeremiah 38:14-18.

Think about the question: "How long do you keep trying until you finally give up?".  The answer may surprise you.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

"Be absolutely clear about who you are and what you stand for. Refuse to compromise."  Brian Tracy

"Rise Above Discouragement" recap -- August 21, 2012

It was fun teaching to a full crowd on Sunday.  Keep it up.  Remember, Promotion Sunday for our kids is this Sunday.

Our lesson was called "Rise Above Discouragement".  We looked at Jeremiah's frustration at the trials he had to endure for God.

We started with a video on frustration from Sesame Street...

Jeremiah confessed his discouragement to God.  We can do the same thing. 

The Christian walk is not easy.  Nowhere in the Bible does it promise smooth sailing.

But no matter what happened to Jeremiah, he never stopped telling the people what God wanted them to hear.  No matter the cost.

Remember, just like this song says, God Is In Control.

Make it a great week!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“Life is my college. May I graduate well, and earn some honors.” Louisa May Alcott

Can I Be More Frustrated? -- August 17, 2012

I'm frustrated.

Normally by Thursday night, I have a good idea of how I'll present Sunday's lesson.  But as I'm typing this blog post, my thought well is dry.

It's left me aggravated, irritated, upset, annoyed, disturbed, bothered, perturbed, and downright discouraged.

That ever happen to you?

Life hands you lemons.  You know you're supposed to make lemonade.  But someone has hidden the pitcher, sugar, and stirring spoon.  What do you do then?

This Sunday at 9:50 a.m., we'll look at what Jeremiah did when he was in a pickle.

Here's how the Coleman's Notes describe our lesson:  "Jeremiah was in a difficult situation.  He had been seized and beaten and fastened in the stocks by the captain of the temple police.  The humiliation and suffering that resulted from this brutal treatment led to one of Jeremiah's bitterest and saddest complaints.  But his invincible faith in God continued to shine through the darkness."

The title of our lesson is "Rise Above Discouragement".  Our scripture passage is Jeremiah 20:1-13.  Read the story.  Listen to the choice words Jeremiah has for God.  Jeremiah really lets Him have it.

You ever been angry with God?  If so, welcome to the club.

Let's meet Sunday morning (9:50 a.m.) to see how we are supposed to handle frustration.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too late the one that is open.”  Alexander Graham Bell

A Cry For Our Nation -- August 10, 2012

The prophet Jeremiah's heart broke for the nation of Israel because the people would not turn back to God.

Our scripture passage this Sunday (9:50 a.m.) is Jeremiah 8:4-13,8:18-9:1.  In the passage, Jeremiah asks questions of the people of Israel about their actions.  Speaking for God, Jeremiah shows the depth of his longing for the Jewish people to leave their apostasy and idolatry (definitions on Sunday) and come back to a relationship with God.

Where is the application for this today?  Do you have to think very hard to see the parallel?

You know I'm prone to do things a little differently on Sundays (9:50 a.m.).  Well, I'll be doing something real different this week.  It starts with this question:

"How do you kill 11 million people?"

I know it's not a normal Sunday School question but we'll look at its relevance this week.  How?

That question is the title of a book by Andy Andrews.  The number represents the documented number of Jews killed by the Nazis during World War II. 

It's an interesting question to ponder if you look at it this way:  "How did 11 million people allow themselves to be killed?".

Some say that "Politics is telling people what they want to hear, and prophesy is telling them what they need to hear".  Using that definition, you'll get some prophesy from me this week.

Jeremiah's heart was broken for the nation of Israel; mine is broken for our nation.  I am a huge believer in "WE THE PEOPLE".  What happens to one of us happens to all of us.  It's easy to blame "them" for all our problems, but that's a cop-out.  Together we must look for solutions.

Here's an excerpt from the author's note of Andy Andrews' book "How Do You Kill 11 Million People":

"Don't we all want the best for our country and a secure and prosperous future for our children?  Of course we do.  And I believe that we can talk about divisive subjects without screaming at each other.
     Somehow, for the most part, our parents and grandparents managed to disagree with their neighbors and still remain neighborly.  And they usually did it from their front porches.  Today, most of us don't even have front porches.  We have retreated to the backyard, where a singe opinion can be isolated and enforced by a privacy fence."

Come in Sunday morning with an open mind.  Check your political persuasion and knee-jerk reactions at the door.  You might just find you agree with more things than you disagree.

Here's your pre-work for class.  It's a six-minute interview with Andy that gives the background to his book.

For the record, I have absolutely, positively no interest in seeking political office.  I'm not asking for your vote, I'm asking you to think.

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“The punishment which the wise suffer who refuse to take part in the government, is to live under the government of worse men.”  Plato

Thursday afternoon pick-me-up -- August 9, 2012

I hope you are living your life with no excuses this week.

As part of me doing the same, I wanted to give you a chuckle on this lovely Thursday afternoon.

This is one of those clips that I'm absolutely, positively sure I won't ever be able to work into a Sunday School lesson.

Without further ado...

You're welcome.  Talk to you tomorrow.

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“The most influential person who will talk to you all day is you, so you should be very careful about what you say to you!”  Zig Ziglar

"Make No Excuses" recap -- August 6, 2012

Remember your challenge for this week:  Live your life with no excuses.

If God is calling you to serve somewhere in the church--no excuses--serve.

Work on your relationships--with your spouse, with your kids, with your family, with your friends.

Be the person with impeccable integrity a work.  Let the words that flow from your mouth be ones on encouragement to everyone.

We started our unit about Jeremiah this week.  We will look at his life and relationship with God through the month of August.

With the brouhaha about Chick-Fil-A this week, we began our lesson with the Chick-Fil-A song by Tim Hawkins...

And to show how "tolerant" some people are, we discussed this Adam Smith anti-Chick-Fil-A video.

The point of the lesson was to "Make No Excuses".  But making excuses is our usual default setting.  We watched "The March of the Unqualified"

to show the excuses, faults, and baggage of great Biblical characters.  Here's a powerful phrase from the video:  "God's army isn't perfect; it never has been.  It's the March of the Unqualified; get in line".

We discussed God touching Jeremiah's mouth to show him that it would be God's words flowing from his mouth.  To highlight the importance of words, we saw "The King's Speech trailer.


And to mirror the beginning of our lesson, we finished with The New Chick-Fil-A song by Tim Hawkins


Make it a great week!  No excuses.  I'll be praying for you.

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“He who is convinced that from his birth there is only one task for him is delivered at once from the mistaken false starts which waste the efforts of other men.”  A.C. Welch

The Phone's Ringing; It's For You -- August 3, 2012

Wouldn't it be wonderful if God gave each Christian a telephone and He would call daily to tell you what you need to accomplish for Him?  It'd be too important to be a cell phone or even a cordless.  I'm thinking of a chunky, old-fashioned, corded phone with a real bell ringer inside.  Of course it would be white (Why?  Think about it for a second).  Like this:

Unfortunately, it's not that simple.  You have to read the Bible, pray, and listen for His voice.  This is the way you can find out God's will for your life.

You know I'm a big fan of Andy Andrews.  His blog post this week really hit home.  I'll link it at the bottom of this post.

In it, he gives the story of Si Frumkin, a Jewish World War II Nazi concentration camp survivor.  Si makes the comment that the most harmful phrase in any language is "Someone should do something about it".

Why is that such a harmful phrase?  Because it passes the buck to somebody else.  It's easier to wait on anybody else instead of taking action.

At church, our Nominating Committee is in full swing trying to fill open positions with willing members.  The operative word is "willing".

Has God been calling you to serve somewhere in church? 
What excuses have you come up with to say "No"?
Do you feel you're not prepared?
Do you feel inadequate to do it?
Does it seem too overwhelming?

We begin a new series for the month of August.  We'll be in the book of Jeremiah.  Our lesson this Sunday at 9:50 a.m. introduces us to the prophet we'll study all month.

Our scripture passage for this week is Jeremiah 1:4-14,17-19. 

Jeremiah didn't think he was equipped to do what God wanted him to do.  He gave excuses just like you do.  But God had big plans in store for Jeremiah.  Just like He has big plans for you.

So pick up the phone; God's on the other end!

I didn't forget.  Here's the blog post I was talking about:  The Most Harmful Phrase in Any Language

Finish Friday strong.  Enjoy Saturday with your family.  See you Sunday!

Loyally yours,

Darren Bayne

“I go out to preach with two propositions in mind.  First, everyone ought to give his life to Christ.  Second, whether or not anyone gives Him his life, I will give Him mine.”  Jonathan Edwards