The Long and the Short of It as 2008 Closes.

It seems like forever since the last blog entry (Dec. 12th). That's because I dove head 1st into Christmas and New Years! (as I'm sure most of you have as well!)

Things have been very busy for Francie & me @ BPC & personally. On Wed. evening 12/17 Alexandra & Gregory came home from Grad School & College. It's been a joy having them with us since we haven't seen them in a year. (school, work, friends) They head back to Springfield early Friday am so the next few days will be great for Mom & Dad! Those of you with little ones...enjoy the "now" moments with your kids because they grow up fast!

On Christmas Eve BPC held it's very 1st Candlelight Service. We had 45 in attendance. (mostly people from the neighborhood) The 1st time guests were so glad BPC is in Tarentum & were excited we offered a Christmas Eve service! This Sunday we launch into a new sermon series on Stewardship & a week of Fasting and Prayer. We will also be offering special services on Sunday night @ 6pm and Monday & Wednesday nights @ 7pm. http://www.bridgepointchurch.cc/ for more info.

Well, that's the long & the short of it as 2008 comes to a close. Happy New Year! next blog entry...sometime in January of 09

BPC - very quick update

With everything that's going on there's not much time to blog so.. here's a very quick BPC update!

Last Sunday svc...with the threat of snow can you believe we had 4 brand new visitors, 2 recommittments to Christ & 1 salvation, Yeah God!!

Mon-Wed...Admin, fasting n prayer, counciling appt., MCM mtg. So blessed to be a part of such a great network of churches. Thanks Jeff & Nick for your vision & hard work!!

Thurs...sermon prep. You don't want to miss this Sunday, Oh Yaa!!

Tonight...meeting 4 or 5 dedicated followers of Jesus & BPCers to prepare for Give a Gift. Thanks so much to 3 Rivers AG for passing along the gifts!!

Tommorrow...Give a Gift happens from 2:30-4pm at the gym. Again, Kudos to those dedicated followers of Jesus & BPCers who are coming to help. And...a very big thanks to Deana for coaching us on how to pull off GaG. And...a very,very big thanks to my wonderful wife Francie for tackling this project. Who loves you babe!!

This Sunday Svc...round 2 of "Christmas Conspiracy- The Revolution That Changed the World"
here is the big idea... "Keep the Light Switch of Christ Turned on in Your Life!

Now this afternoon...have to finish 09 calander planning from Jan. - July & I have to write a Life Group Lesson for next week!

Gotta Go. That's the update for now. I'm Chevy Chase & you're not! (remember that from the orginal SNL? I just loved it when he did that!! Go figure?)

A Week Filled With Giving Thanks!

Last week was very busy @ BPC filled with Giving Thanks!

On Sunday Nov. 23rd Steve McGranahan "The World's Strongest Redneck" was with us. Steve wove the gospel message through a very funny presentation & incredible feats of hand strength bending & twisting various objects communicating Christ's love. (a horseshoe into a heart...amazing!) Steve also challenged each of us to pursue God & use our God given gifts for the Lords glory. 70 were in attendance & many responded to the the alters desiring to use their gifts & talents for God!

On Tuesday afternoon Nov. 25th Francie & I were invited to an all school assembly at St. Edmund's Academy Elementary School in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of PGH. During the month of November 250 students in grades 1 - 8 worked together collecting various food items filling over 40 midsized boxes with enough food for one Thanksgiving dinner to be given to those who may have little or nothing to eat this Thanksgiving. It was during the assembly that Francie & I shared the vision of BPC & told the students 2 or 3 Real Life stories of people who will be receiving the food they worked so hard to collect. Then, in a very moving presentation the 8th graders presented us with the food. (I don't believe i saw a dry eye in the house!) Thanks so much to the students, faculty & administration of St. Edmund's for their willingness to give & their great hearts of compassion!

On Wednesday evening Nov. 26th over 30 people attended our very 1st Thanksgiving Eve service. After worship we heard incredible testimonies from people expressing gratefulness & thanks to God. PTL...for freedom from anger, drugs, emotional unrest & alcohol. PTL...for restored relationships, peace & an overwhelming sense of God's love. I then challenged each of us to cultivate a heart of Thanksgiving throughout the entire year. Thanks so much to everyone who brought a pie for all to enjoy...they were delicious!

On Thursday Nov. 27th Thanksgiving Day, we offered a Thanksgiving Dinner from 3-5pm for 25 people! BPC'ers as well a few who came for the 1st time gathered to serve & enjoy Thanksgiving 2008. A number who attended were without family this year so we were blessed as the family of God to share in great tasting food & fabulous conversation! Thanks again to everyone who prepared a side dish. Before, during and afterwards I gave out the boxes of food donated by the students of St. Edmund's Academy to quite number of individuals and families!

On Sunday Nov.30th during our service we held BPC's 1st Baby Dedication. Family, friends & over 80 people gathered as I had the honor of dedicating Alexis Rose, just 4 months old, to the Lord! The worship lead us into a moving prayer time & during the message I encouraged each one to Center their lives on Christ & live in the moment for Him! Afterwards Great Grandma Rose & Grandma Paula prepared a wonderful lunch for everyone to enjoy.

It sure was a week filled with Giving Thanks. Now I'd like to to express my gratefulness & thanks to...
Jesus for saving & calling me (I can't make it without You!), my wonderful & loving wife Francie (you are truly THE BEST!), my 2 fabulous kids Alexandra & Gregory (can't wait to have you guys home for Christmas!) and the best church family ever (Francie & I just love all you BPC'ers & love serving the Lord with you!)

Now...onto Christmas!!

This Sunday November 23rd at 10am, BPC is very excited to host Steve McGranahan, "The World's Strongest Redneck"!

At 6'tall, 333lbs Steve will dazzle us with his incredible feats of a amazing hand strength. His arms are 22" around, he's benched 500lbs for 2, dead lifted 585lbs for 5 and squatted 620lbs for 2!! Steve has been seen on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno, "Country Fried Homes Videos" on CMT, has traveled to such countries as England, Guatemala & British Columbia. Steve inspires people to achieve beyond their dreams & he gives all the glory to God! Check out "The World's Strongest Redneck" website @ http://www.stevemcgranahan.com/


ALSO for elementary kids it's... "Super Sundae" That's right, in Jr. Church we'll be serving up "Tarentum's Largest Ice Cream Sundae"!! Wonderful, delicious, creamy Ice Cream topped with chocolate syrup, rainbow sprinkles & mountains of whipped cream!!!


You really, really don't want to miss BridgePoint Church this Sunday morning at 10am!!!
So come on out & join us...it's all FREE!!! Let's Get-R-Done at BPC!

Life

Life…some says it’s a breakfast cereal (remember Mikey? He likes it!), others say it’s a game. How would you describe Life?

That was the topic of the first message in our “That’s Life” series. Maybe you feel like the guy in the video below? Just click play and see if you can identify….

In Judges Chapter 11 is the story of Jephthah, a Judge of Israel. He trusted the Lord with his Life & knew that God was Israel’s true judge and the only one who could really lead them in victory over their enemies. Although his Life didn’t start out all that great (actually it stunk, he was run out of town by his half brothers & denied his inheritance), Jephtah knew that with God in his Life, his Life could be extraordinary. And it was! He is listed in Hebrews 11.

With God in IT, an extraordinary Life is one that sees Life as an opportunity…knows that in Life we’ll have peaks n valleys and in Life God uses common people in uncommon ways…for His glory bringing everlasting Life!!!

We don’t have to just sit around watching Life pass us by, we can Carpe Diem, Seize the Day allowing God into every area of our Lives making IT extraordinary!

New Message series & The World's Strongest Redneck

Tomorrow AM I'll begin a new 3 part message series entitled "That's Life".

Topics will include...Life, is this all there is? Running On Empty, how to keep going when you don't feel like it. and... The Bottom Line...what is it & how do i get it?

November is Invitation Month so don't come alone! Bring your family, friends, coworkers, neighbors & anyone you can get as we talk about something everyone can relate to...Life.

Also...on Sunday November 23rd @ 10am, BPC will host "The World's Strongest Redneck" and in Jr. Church the elementary kids will have "The Largest Ice Cream Sundae ever".

November is going to be an AWESOME month @ BPC! You will not want to miss a single minute!!

Tomorrow Night "Treats n Eats" 6-8pm

Tomorrow night October 31st BridgePoint will host a FREE event called “Treats n Eats” at the James 5:16 Center from 6-8pm.

Inside the gym we’ll have a few carnival games for the kids to play & win candy. And we’ll be showing a “Veggie Tales” movie on the Big Screen. Each child will also get a full size candy bar.

Outside the gym we’ll be giving away Hot Dogs, chips, drinks as well as Cotton Candy.

It’s going to be a really fun time sharing Jesus and everyone is invited!

Emeril & Mark Twain

This past Sunday we ended our Emeril “Kickin’ It Up a Notch” series with a message entitled, “I Love it all Because It’s Real!” A very approiate Emeril quote considering that BPC has been established to… “Connect Real People to the Real God!”

“I Love It All Because Its Real” is something not only Emeril has said but I imagine Barnabas may have said. Born Joseph, a Levite from the island of Cyprus, nicknamed Barnabas (son of exhortation, encouragement) by the disciples, He was drawn to people he could encourage & was a great help to those
around him. Regardless of where others were in their thoughts & ideas, much like today, I believe Barnabas’ passion for people & passion for encouragement drew many to Christ. Wouldn’t it be great if that was said of us!

The challenge this week was to be a passionate encourager displaying Godly confidence drawing people to Christ. Be a passionate encourager even to someone who may really irritate you. Ouch, that hurts!!

Mark Twain once said, “I could live for two months on one good complement.” So let me say thanks to Ron for his encouraging comments about the messages at BridgePoint… “Pastor Greg, your sermons kick butt! They really do.” Sure is nice to know we’re making an impact.

To round things out, we all enjoyed a taste of the Real Thing – Coke a Cola, as well as a hot dog & a piece of apple pie…You can’t get much more “American Real” than that. And thanks again so much to Debbie for cooking up a little something for us to taste each week during this series. I forgot to tell you, the food network called…interested?

"Wings" and The Holy Spirit

This past Sunday was once again “Emeril…Kickin’It Up a Notch” Sunday @ BPC. Our topic of conversation…The Holy Spirit.

We asked the following 4 questions:
Who is the Holy Spirit?
Comforter & Counselor/Paraclete-“one just like me”/of the same nature as Jesus who abides with us & in us. He was at work in…creation, upon the servants of God & in prophecy. He was active in the ministry of Jesus and He has the power to direct the church.

What role does He play in my life?
He indwells us at salvation & overwhelms us when we are baptized in Him.

What are the bi-products of a Spirit controlled life?
Fruitfulness/becoming like Jesus, giftedness/supernatural ministry & holiness/the power to overcome.

How do I respond to the Holy Spirit?
Believe that this promise is for you, seek Him with all of your heart, yield everything you are to Him, joyfully obey Him & walk in all He has for you.

The theme for the morning…
The Holy Spirit did not come for Himself but, to draw people to Christ and give Him glory.
Then, we all shared in communion together. Sunday was a uplifting morning!

BTW: Thanks again to Debbie for doing all the cooking. The "wings" were great!

Emeril, Samson, Samuel, thermometers & thermostats

When Emeril tells his viewers to “Use Your Knob” he’s referring to the dial on the oven/stove that adjusts the heat. Once the food is cooked he may use a thermometer to check the temperature. Our home heating systems have a knob that adjusts heat as well, it’s called a thermostat. Definitions: thermometer-measures temperature…thermostat-can raise temperature

Samson & Samuel were both OT Leaders, Judges who started life as thermostats. God kept raising the heat up as they eventually became Israel’s leaders but…while Samuel’s heat for God measured hot Samson’s slowly grew cold.

The result…Samson “did not know that the Lord had left him” and died blind being crushed under the weight of the temple of dagon. Samuel, a prophet went on to anointed kings & died with “all of Israel assembling & mourning.”

Regarding our spiritual lives…are we more like thermometers or thermostats? Do you use your knob raising the heat for God in your life or does it tend to grow cold based on your circumstances?

Just like on a cold, dark January evening @ home, when you start to feel a little chilly you intentionally get up from the sofa & turn the thermostat up transforming that chill into warming heat. You’ve got to do the same thing in your spiritual life! No one else can turn that knob up for you…you have to do it yourself! Even if you’re the only one, live a thermostat life!

Thanks to Debbie for preparing this week’s food item…2 dips…one hot & one mild. Also, click on the video below. It’ my childhood image of Samson. "Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close up!"

Let's Kick It Up a Notch!

What does this Pic have 2 do with the title of this post?...Read on.

Let's Kick It Up a Notch!...was the title of the message Sunday in our Kickin’ it up a Notch Emeril series…Bam!

And Bam, Bam, Bam!...is just what the church experienced in Acts 8:1. The martyrdom of Stephen triggered a great persecution causing the early church to scatter into Judea & Samaria. Kick up you spiritual lives because too much of God is never enough…may have been their battle cry & like buckshot out of a double barrel shotgun they were scattered into the ends of the earth.

The challenge 4 the early church & 4 us is…
Soak up the things of God just like a sponge…so when you get squeezed, God things is just what’ll come out.
Know what’s at stake…when you kick up your spiritual life the enemy isn’t happy. (Not to worry…we’re more that conquerors & Jesus has already won!)
And…
Stay committed to the end…tell God I'm ridin’ this train with You through life’s twists, turn, banks & bends until we pull into the station!

Before you click on the video below…have a little cotton candy while you’re ridin’ the train. During Sunday’s svc we did! Thanks Debbie & Karen for giving everyone a taste of CC.

Hey, we're in an Emeril series...gotta have a little something 2 eat each week, right? Wonder what's on the menu next Sunday?

Make Some Friends

Sunday I began the “Kickin’ It Up a Notch” series with a BAM! & an Emeril quote “Make Some Friends” or…the Power of Life Groups. Life Groups are BPC’s small groups launching this week. 2 families groups, a ladies exercise group, a single women’s group & as usual…the Men’s Challenge Friday night group for guys. Email gregk@bridgepointchurch.cc for more info on LG’s.
The most famous small group in the NT…Jesus & His 12 disciples. A not so famous small groups in the NT…the 10 lepers. Both shared life together in a group & both experienced Power in Partnership (the “Big Idea” & application from the message).

The Power of a Life Group…
Believers have always met in groups Acts 2:46-47, the greatest gift you can give someone is your time. Investing your time in a LG will be well worth it.
We’re created for relationship Gen 2:8, relationships take Honesty, Humility, Courtesy & Frequency. That’s what you’ll find in an LG.
Jesus is present when 2 or 3 are gathered in His name Matt. 18: 20, His presence is stronger when we come together In His name. Think pixel-when together the image is clearer.
It’s FUN hanging out & being together Acts 2:42, hanging out & having fun together is part of God’s plan for discipleship. Think Super bowl Sunday/Holiday dinner with the fam FUN.
And…we need each other because life here on planet earth is tough Eccles. 4:9-12, we need a go to person when times get tough and we can be the go to person as well.

Keep BPC in your prayers this week as we take the next step in the life of our church & remember…get in on a LG, you won’t regret it!

Emeril at BridgePoint ??

This Sunday I will be starting a new message series entitled “Kickin it up a Notch”. Each week we will be talking about such ingredients...items...subjects as “Make Some Friends”, "Use Your Knob” & of course “Let’s Kick it up a Notch” just to name a few. Sounds familiar, sure they do…they are all Emeril quotes, you know Emeril...the T.V. chief.

You just have to check out BPC to find out exactly where I’ll be going with these. Oh I should also mention, we will be tasting something very delicious every Sunday for the next 5 weeks so you do not want to miss a single service. BAM!!

P.S. This Sunday after the service please join us for lunch, we are going to have "the works"!

Happenings @ BridgePoint

I haven’t posted in a while about the happenings @ BridgePoint. We have a few “firsts” which I’ll talk about in the next few posts.

This past Sunday 70 attended our svc including three 1st time guests & three 2nd time guests as we celebrated communion together for the very 1st time!! I took the time to explain that during communion we’re…

to Remember 1 Corinthians 11:23-25

Jesus instituted communion so we could remember Him (Jesus)

to Rejoice 1 Corinthians 11:26

rejoice in proclaiming the death, burial & resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sin and rejoice in proclaiming the eventual return of Jesus Christ.

to Repent 1 Corinthians 11:27-28
Repent – to turn from sin & to turn to God

during communion, we are given the opportunity to examine our motives, thoughts & actions in a personal way before God. We ask Him through His Holy Spirit to show us our wrongs & to restore our relationship with God.

and…

to Reconcile 1 Corinthians 11:29
reconcile - to restore to friendship or harmony, settle, resolve

during communion, we are given the opportunity to realize our need for reconciliation with God & others.

As the band played & images of Jesus’ last supper with His disciples & His sacrifice flashed on the screen we all participated in communion together.

Now that we’ve come out of the summer & everyone is back into the swing of regular schedules, BPC is positioned to launch into the fall with excitement, faith & a few firsts!

Acts 8:1 and 1:8

While in sermon prep 2day I was studying in the book of Acts, particularly the stoning of Stephen and the persecution & scattering of the church into Judea, Sameria & the ends of the earth.

I ran accross this...Acts 8:1 speaks of persecution & scattering...

Acts 1:8 speaks of power & mission.

Go figure!!!

He's always "in it"...

Did you know God is always @ work, “in it”, even we’re not? Consider Job 1:6

“One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the accuser, satan, came with them.” NLV (lower case “a” in accuser & “s” in satan intentional by writer)

Footnote: The Bible speaks of other heavenly councils where God and the angels plan their activities on earth and where angels are required to give an account of themselves. (1Kings 22:19-23). Because God is the Creator of all angels-both of those who serve him and of those who rebelled-He has complete power and authority over them.

“He has complete power & authority over them” isn’t that good to know. Too many times we get caught up in the “me”, such as “why is ____ happening to me” or “why isn’t ____happening to me” not realizing at that exact moment just who is spinning the earth & directing the seas. (not 2 mention last week’s weather-aka Ike).

All, I’m sure, many can relate to…
personal “pity parties” (& the miserable, lonely sensation following…)
as well as…
the world just “centers around me” & what I’ve got 2 say…(“I Wanna Talk About Me” by Toby Keith…listen to it)

Should our circumstances lead us into a “me centered” existence traversing peaks & valleys? Or, should we center ourselves on the fact that “high court” is in session in the highest heavenlies.

Regardless of how busy or uneventful your life may seem to you, God is “holding court”, He’s always “in it” on our behalf.

NASA Images of Ike

I do believe in God!

7 Years Ago Today

Say a prayer for those who lost loved ones on this
day 7 years ago & continue to pray for our leaders & America!

1st post after my blogging break

The past 3 years during my devo’s I’ve been reading One Year Bible. This year I decide to read “The Imitation of Christ” by Thomas a’ Kempis in addition to my Bible. A tremendous depth of love & insight flows from its pages…

Humble Submission…Do not consider much who is for you or against, but consider only what you are doing and be careful that God is with you in everything you do.
Have a good conscience and God will defend you.
For no one’s perverseness can harm anyone whom God will help.
If you can suffer in silence, you will without doubt see that the Lord will help you.
He knows when and how to deliver you, and therefore you should submit yourself to Him.
It is God’s purpose to help and to deliver from all confusion.
To make us more humble, it is often beneficial for others to know and rebuke our faults.

Chew on that for a while…I am.

Taking a bit of a Blog Break

Hey, I've taken a bit of a blog break since CityReach ended. My Labor Day weekend is packed....Friday I'm in sermon prep for BPC svc on Sunday am, Saturday it's an all day canoe trip down the Allegheny and then Sunday after BPC service

Francie & I are taking a road trip to D.C. Ya know...walk the mall, see the monuments, etc...Be back on Monday Night & hope to be blogging in the next week or 2, CYa!

BPC CityReach 08 Recap

Man, it seems like 4ever since my last post. Reason being we were all soo busy with CityReach 08 the last 2 weeks so here's a recap of the festivities:

Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday for adults was held @ the 6th ave palivion. Speakers & specials included P. Jeff (lead pastor APC) along w/ the APC Choir, Seth Franco (former Harlem Globetrotter) dazzled us with Bball handling skills & URs truly along with sparring, yes boxing, provided by the guys & gals of the James 5:16 Center. We also held prize giveaways. Pastor Cal & his team were rockin under the tent & in our Jr. Church room filled with fun, games, prizes & 3 nights of story telling. The kids had a blast!! Great food & awesome fun was had by all every night & each evening we saw in creased community interest & attendance as the week went on.

Friday was our Block Party which included games, candy, food, Sumo wrestling (inflatable suits), a monster truck and the backpack giveaway. We registered 210 people & gave away 110 backpacks.

Sunday AM we closed out CityReach 08 with a service that included prize giveaways, CiCi's Pizza & a Car Cruise.

What can I say it was a tiring (good tired) and very rewarding week! Thanks 2 our coordinator, Sarah, impact team yth leaders & everyone from BPC & APC who helped 2 make BridgePoint's very 1st CityReach a great experience!

Worlds Largest Tea Pot

Check out the worlds largest Tea Pot located in Chester, WV just about 1 hour West of Pittsburgh.

That's the kind of God we serve!

This morning during my preparation for our service this Sunday, I was surfing various images for my sermon theme and wham!! I came across this image of Jesus.

There He is sitting on the cross. What’s going on? What is He thinking? How is He feeling at this very moment? This pic reminds me of the crucifixion scene in Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion of the Christ”. Check it out the next time you’re watching…the cross is lying on the ground & Jesus crawls on His hands & knees over to it and gets on it HIMSELF!! He lies on His back right on top of the cross, no one put Him there. He did that because He loves us.

That’s the kind of God we serve!

Ft. Lauderdale & CityReach

Sorry for the blogging laps. Last week Francie & I had the opportunity to get away for a few days.

My brother in law let us use his place in Ft. Lauderdale FL. and boy was it hot! Relaxing & enjoyable but hot….South Florida sun is intense in July. Besides going to the beach & the pool we drove about 2 blocks to Coral Ride Presbyterian Church founded by Dr. D. James Kennedy who recently passed away. The receptionist directed us to the sanctuary so we could take a peek inside. It looks just like it does on TV. It was a great 4 days!

Hey, on Sunday July 20th along with a few other churches in our MCM network, we began a new message series entitled “God of this City”. Each Sunday we’ll be preaching on a similar theme, showing video clips from some of our MCM churches & testimonies from CityReach 2007…Real People stories about how God connected them to our MCM churches thru last years CityReach!

Speaking of CityReach, mark your calendars now! On August 12 -15 we’ll need your help as BPC hosts this FREE event to the city of Tarentum. U name it, it’ll B there…
food, music, games, prizes, giveaways, FREE backpacks with school supplies for every elementary age student & a whole lot more. All happening @ the pavilion on 6th Ave one block behind the James 5:16 center & across the street as well. There will be something for the entire family to enjoy.

On Sunday August 17th during our 10am service we’ll bring this incredible CityReach week to a close celebrating with food, music & I’ll be starting a new message series entitled, “The One Thing…” Plus, we’ll be giving away a FREE $100.00 gas card!! What more could you ask? Something to fill your spirit, your stomach & your car!

A long post but...worth the read!

Every Sunday AM it’s something new & different @ BPC! And this past Sunday was no exception as we welcomed four 2nd time guests to our service.

Following our opening prayer with a congregational “Amen”, the praise time just took off as we sang “I Know Who I Am.” Francie & Tony did a great job! (we were minus our drummer & bass player due to vacation, etc…) Everyone sang from the heart with incredible feeling…it was an awesome sight! The Spirit was definitely there from the start all the way through into our worship time where there was just a sweet presence. The perfect opportunity to pray for any needs of the people in the service. Kim needed prayer for her health, she has been having various issues for some time now. So…we all gathered around Kim lifting our voices together on her behalf. (some participating for the very 1st time!) We ended with "Knowing You” as everyone raised their hands to God. Leading worship & teaching people how to enter into praise & worship is very exciting. It’s just so great seeing each person grow week after week…I love it!! (Big thanks to P. Don & P. Jeff for teaching & guiding me in P&W!)

We added a new attraction to our svc this past week…Video! We were able to borrow a much brighter projector so we could show the “MCM Cribs” & testimony from Ridgewood A/G. BPC’ers loved the clips & are looking forward to seeing them every week during our "God of This City" series. (Which begins this Sunday…you don’t want to miss it!) God is doing some great things here in PGH through our MCM network of churches!

BPC’s message this past week was in essence a reflection of my heart & passion. It’s no accident that we’ve been planted in Tarentum/Alleghany Valley so, Sunday was a great opportunity for me to preach on “Connecting Real People to the Real God.” Who are these Real People? Well they are the… Parentless child getting shuffled around from relative to relative feeling like nobody cares…Single Mom caring for 3 kids living in public housing looking for work just to make ends meet and having to put her elderly Mother in a nursing home…Young man addicted to drugs whose live-in girlfriend battled & lost to cancer…Man who was caught 3 or 4 times drunk driving & now is facing jail time leaving the woman he loves & his kids… Older woman caring for her grandchildren because she doesn’t know where her daughter is…Guy/gal wrestling with their sexuality/rejected & turned away by others… These are the Real stories of the Real People who have come through our doors since our launch on Palm Sunday 2008. Real People we’ve been able to help Connect to the Real God! The cross of Christ is the bridge that connects people to God! You see at one time all of us were disconnected from God, we needed to be connected/rescued and now that we’ve been rescued we should be the first ones to see the “SOS” signals of others who need rescued & Connected to the Real God! "City Reach" is a great opportunity to begin rescuing! We then ended our svc by singing “Rescuer.” (how appropriate)

So…with that said…it’s something new & different every week!

P.S. A huge shout out to APC’s Youth Summit! Last Thursday they were back for a 2nd week of outreach. They passed out flyers promoting BPC, spent some time with a few local kids @ the skate park Bar-B-Que-ing & even got to pray with a few adults. Thanks so much to the Summit kids & their leaders…You guys & gals are AWESOME!!

With God - Expect the Unexpected

I hope everyone enjoyed their extended weekend celebrating the 4th of July with family, friends, food, fireworks & maybe even a little something unexpected. Unexpected…a good word describing what happened during BPC’s service this past Sunday.

I should really start with last Thursday. On the day before July 4th (the 3rd) at 2pm, BPC hosted the “Youth Summit” a team of students from APC prepared to pass flyers promoting BPC & hosting a free Bar-B-Que for any youth hanging out @ the skate park on 1st Ave. in Tarentum. Well…when the students arrived @ the skate park it was closed because it was wet from the rain & the boro was preparing for fireworks. The youth leaders decided to divide the students into 2 flyer passing teams for East & West Tarentum. I went with the students to West Tarentum.

After prayer in the boxing ring the students headed out of the gym ready to “make it happen” then… it started to rain. For about 1 ½ hours in the rain they went from house to house leaving flyers, talking to a few people & praying with others…they were a little wet but AMAZING! At 4pm they headed back to APC.

Now back to our Sunday Service…we welcomed three 1st time guests & two of those guests came because they received a flyer at their home. PTL! I opened the svc & began leading in praise & worship. After a time in worship I sensed that I should begin praying for the needs of the people…that someone there needed prayer. That’s when the unexpected happened. Rick brought Dan, one of our visitors, to the front.

Dan explained that his girlfriend has colon & intestinal cancer and that he wanted…needed us to pray for her. Everyone came forward to lay hands on Dan as I lead out in prayer for his girlfriend. What an amazing time! People were calling out to God on her behalf believing that God could do the miraculous in her life. Dan was so touched & moved by the prayers. He thanked everyone saying that he would definitely be back. He also said that he may even start working out at the gym. Dan then left.

I said to the congregation, “That is what BPC is all about…Connecting Real People to the Real God! That’s why we’re here!” We then continued with the service. Pastor Nick Poole, APC Director of Church Planting & Development, did a great job preaching the message. He encouraged us that by doing the seemingly small & unimportant things for God now, later they would add up making a big impact in our lives, the lives of others & in the kingdom. What else can I say…it was a great service!

I am so looking forward to this Thursday…the “Youth Summit” students will be returning for a 2nd week. They’ll once again be sharing the love of Christ & promoting BPC in Tarentum. I wonder what will happen this week? With God, expect the unexpected!

Dealing Great Commissioners

This past Sunday @ BPC was great! We welcomed 2 second time guests & 1 first time guest to our service. We are grateful & so excited that God has chosen to send to BPC REAL people every week for the past 16 weeks to check us out!

Before the message we all played a game. Remember Monty Hall? He used to play a game with the audience (who was usually dressed in attention getting costumes) at the end of “Let’s Make a Deal” Monty would ask them to show him…a penny, book of matches, band-aid, etc. The person who produced that item 1st won $$. Well BPCers were not dressed in attention costumes but did receive a candy bar if they had the item asked for. The purpose of that…everyone should “Get in the Game.”

The last message in our “Get in the Game” series was entitled “Great Commissioners”. Great Commissioners understand that…it’s all about Jesus, know that eternity is at stake & are to be people magnets, not stone throwers. They share Christ through their God given personalities, know that when we die it’s either going to be 1 of 2 places & meet REAL people the way Jesus did, right where they are with Grace then Truth. I love this quote from Andy Stanley’s book “Communicating for a Change”. “People who were nothing like Jesus…liked Jesus.”

At the end of the service I invited everyone forward into their Great Commissioner destiny & challenged them to “Get in the Game” both personally & through our Outreach event in August called “CityReach.”

BTW: Let’s make a deal. Does anyone have on them a buffalo head nickel?