Baptizing My First Youth

Last Sunday August 9th I got to baptize a rising-sophomore named Brittany. She got saved while we were at camp and I got to baptize her as my second ever baptism but my first youth! It was truly a great day where our church was able to celebrate with her in the salvation that we all have in Jesus Christ. I look forward to baptizing so many more students in my ministry. God was revealed that day and as He is everyday. I only hope to catch a glimpse of His greatness each and every day. I know this can happen if I wake up each day looking for what God has planned for me and not what desires I have planned for myself. Thank you God for your greatness and mercy!

The Month of July!!!!!!!!

WOW! July was a great month for me. It began with taking 11 youth to Cedarville, Ohio for Student Life Missions Camp (6-10). We had one girls get saved and another who rededicated her life to Christ. We did work at Adcare Hearth and Home for alzheimers patients. the kids really enjoyed it and now we will begin doing it hear in Lexington in September. Jeremy Kingsley was a great speaker and Rush of Fools did a great job leading worship. The lead singer, Wes, came and spoke to our group one night along with Dustin, the lead guitarist. It was great to meet and greet with those guys in a small personal setting. The day after we got back from camp I left for Peru for a week (11-18). Where do I begin... I got to preach on the 12th twice. Once in the morning to 53 youth where 27 were saved and once in the evening where over 25 were saved. We handed out hundreds of Bibles throughout the week in Lima, Gomorrah, and Pachacutec. We got to share the Gospel and hand out blankets to prostitutes in downtown Lima where several were saved. It was a great week where hundreds were saved and hundreds more had seeds planted. I came back to Lexington for a week before heading to Las Vegas/San Diego for Cory Wells' wedding (29-3). In Las Vegas we saw 2 Cirque du Soleil shows - LOVE and O. They were awesome! I got to play TPC Las Vegas where I shot 73. We drove to Riverside, CA for Cory's wedding on the 1st and then on the 2nd drive to LaJolla where I played Torrey Pines South with Marc Mangiafico. I shot 76 there with an eagle on 13. It was a great day... I loved it! Ahhhhhh the month of July is now over.

Vacation Bible School

Vacation Bible School was this week. We had a great turnout of close to 100 kids each day. The theme was Boomerang Express. I dressed up a little Australian on Sunday monring and did the announcements with an "aussie" accent and wrestled a blow up alligator, ummm gecko actually. I couldn't find an alligator. Anyways it was a great week and we had many families attend that are not affiliated with our church in any way which means we have a list of visits to make starting next week. Also, mine and Lori's anniversary was last night and we went to Malone's and ate some wonderful filet mignon. 3 years and counting!

It's been 2 1/2 months and I haven't written anything!

So i have been a little busy and haven't written a thing for 2 and 1/2 months. SO here is a recap of what has gone on in that time. Church softball has started and we stink. We are "un-victorious" this season with 4 games left. Lori and I went to Philadelphia to visit Andy and Kasey and had a great time. We saw the Rocky statue, ate cheesesteaks, went to a Phillies game, and saw the Liberty Bell and all the buildings there. Then there was the 30 Hour Famine with the youth on April 24-26 weekend. We didn't eat for 30 hours and we played games at the church and began the tearing down in the gym to make way for the renovation which starts next week. I also got to preach on Famine Sunday and the students did all the work in the service (ushers, greeters, singers, children's sermon, etc.). We raised $2500 for hungry children across the world. On May 11th I tried to qualify for the US Open and failed miserably. Wwell it wasn't that bad but I didn't qualify. I finish 33rd out of 80 or so. Not too bad for a youth pastor! Lastly I went on vacation last week to Destin, Florida with Lori, Stacey, TJ, and Madelyn. We had a blast. The weather was great, food was great, golf and swimming were great. We even got to meet up with the Lyons' family at AJ's for dinner our last night and there 2nd night there which was a great time! OH, and how could I forget that I won an all-expense paid trip to Los Angeles through Catalyst for my dominating NCAA bracket. I had 14 of Sweet 16, 8 of Elite 8, 4 of Final Four, 1 of Final 2, and the Champion picked correctly! I get to go on that trip next April. I won the trip out of 15,000 people which was awesome. OK now I have caught up everything so I can back to writing on here a little more frequently!

College Retreat Reflection

I just returned yesterday from a 3 day trip to Pigeon Forge, TN with our college students from Broadway. There were 10 of us on the trip and we did a whole lot of nothing while we were there. We watched TV, went shopping, played pool and various other games, and of course we did a Bible study over the weekend. We watched a video series called UNSTUCK by Dave Edwards. This video Bible series was about how we get stuck in things that we should have relied on God to take care of in the first place! We don't rely on God like He asks us to or like He would love for us to. We think we can handle any situation thrown at us when in reality we can't. We wait until we are in over our heads before we cry out to God for help. We have to have hope in who God is and in what He can do. This hope will lead us to faith in those same things and then action carried out as we depend on God to guide and lead us through our situation. Find your hope so you can have the faith in what God is capable of doing in your life. Don't limit God on what He can do, because He can do all things because, well... He is GOD!

Pastor Fred Winters

This morning at 8:55 a.m. a gunmen walked in to FBC Maryville, Illinois. He walked down the center aisle minutes into Pastro Fred Winters sermon. He approached the stage with gun in hand and Fred asked him how he could help the man. The man pointed the gun towards Fred and fired 3 times. The man was tackled by 4 members of the church where 2 of them were stabbed and the gunmen attempted to stab himself during the scuffle. 4 people were taken to the hospital including Fred. Pastor fred winters later died from the injuries received during the attack. Pastor Fred leaves behind his wife, Cindy, and 2 children. Pastor Fred Winters was my pastor for 8 years. He baptized me during junior high and was a great influence on my life, my walk with the Lord, and my current career in ministry. I thank him for all the lives he reached through the years. He will be missed by many people from the Maryville area and the surrounding communities. I pray God will watch over his family and see them through this difficult situation.

My Ordination Service

Last night, Sunday March 1, I was ordained at Broadway Baptist Church in Lexington, KY. Pastor John Birchett led the service with the Drex Kemplin, the chairman of the deacons, giving the candidate presentation on behalf of the deacons, Pastor John, Music Minister Jeff Randolph, and Brother James Heard after my completion of the council on February 21st. The service was great. Pastor John spoke out of 2 Timothy 2:14-30. Rebecca Seitz, Kevin Tolliver, and Megan Davis read scripture during the service as well. Brother Jeff led the singing with Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, Just as I am, and others. I was encouraged by the number of ordained men (pastor, music minister, and deacons) that prayed for me while laying their hands on me. I received a Bible and an Ordination certificate from the church. A reception of Chic-Fil-A nuggets, cupcakes, and fruit foolowed the service. My parents and grandparents, Lori's parents and grandparents, and my sister-in-law, brother-in-law, and niece Madelyn were all in attendance for the occasion. It was a great night for glorifying God and I pray that I can continue to do so.