Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Something NEW is happening at BPC!

Beginning this Wednesday, February 1st, we'll be having a Monthly Worship and Prayer service from 7 - 8pm on the first Wednesday of every month. Since we had such a great response to our Worship & Prayer Svc's during our week of fasting & prayer in January we've decided to keep that Spiritual Hunger in front of us on a regular basis!

It WILL NOT be a BORING hour, I can tell you that!! Interlaced with God connecting Worship; music that'll inspire you to grow deeper in your relationship with Jesus; we'll also have times for Personal Prayer where you can set aside the busyness of the day/week and connect with God; we'll interceed in Prayer for the needs of others cuz we're not really fulfilled unless we're giving of ourselves and...we'll have an opportunity to get behind BPC Prayer Focuses that'll stretch/grow your faith!

Also; Pastor Steve and Miss Shelby will have something SPECIAL for the kids every month!

Let's make this 1st Wednesday of each month THE MOST IMPORTANT night of THE month so, do everything you can to get to BPC for our Worship & Prayer Svc's cuz...not only will I be there but God's gonna be there waiting for you to show up!

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Think Missions

This past Sunday BPC once again this year hosted our Missionary, Pat Summers.
BridgePoint church faithfully supports Pat’s Ministry, Think Missions. It’s through Think Missions that BPC is able to reach the World while still Connecting Real People to the Real God right here in our community.

In 2012 in partnership with Think Missions, BPC is offering two short term Over Seas Missions trips that you can be a part of; Bolivia in July and Cuba in October.

Listen as Pat updates us on all the great things that are happening for the Kingdom through Think Missions and let me encourage you to begin Praying about Giving or Going into all the World in 2012.

Please let me know if you’d like more information about Missionary Pat Summers, Think Missions or the Bolivia and Cuba trips.

Just click on the title of this blog post and you’ll be directed to our podcast webpage to hear Pat's message.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Texting Inspiration and Water Baptism

Sunday was a very great day at BridgePoint Church! It wasn’t great because I concluded my January message series “Text MSG’s” with a talk entitled “Texting Inspiration” but it was great because we held Water Baptisms and celebrated with a Free Luncheon following the service.

I won’t give it all away so you’ll just have to listen in to the podcast; just click on the title of this blog post and you’ll be directed to our podcast webpage!

Enjoy and God Bless!

Sunday, January 8, 2012

BPC Latest Podcast

Meditation; in our culture & generation that word illicits a variety of meanings. Many may think; Are you talking about an out of body experience? Or Is this going to include incense? Or Are we gonna all circle up & sing songs?

The meditation I’m talkin about is the type that’s found in Psalm 1:1-3, the one who meditates on God’s Word day & night. Mediating on God’s word involves concentrating our thoughts and hearts on what it means to follow Christ. It’s contemplating, pondering, reflecting, considering & thinking about what Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross really means to me today as a 21st century Christian.

In this podcast, "Texting Meditation", I’m not only talking about Christian meditation but Fasting and Prayer as well.

Just click the title of this blog post and you’ll be directed to our podcast web page.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

What You Need to Know About BPC's Week of Fasting & Prayer

This week is a special at BridgePoint Church cuz we’re “kickin off” 2012 with a week of Fasting and Prayer. BPCers will be purposefully investing in their relationships with God by setting aside something that’s meaningful to them such as food, an entertainment or activity & replacing that with concentrated Prayer, Bible Reading and Study.

As Christ followers we should periodically follow Jesus’ example of Prayer and Fasting by making it a regular Spiritual Discipline in our lives as it was in Jesus’ life; In Matthew 4:2 it’s said of Jesus, “After fasting 40 days and 40 nights,…” and in Matthew 6:5 Jesus said, “And when you pray…”

Those who wish to participate should begin after lunch on Sunday January 8 seeing it through to lunch on Friday January 13. Exercising this Spiritual Discipline together as a church family can be incredabily encouraging so we’ve scheduled 3 special services to help you stay on course.

Sunday Jan 8, Mon Jan 9 & Wed Jan 11, all at 7pm, we’re having 1 Hour Worship & Prayer Services at the church. Childcare will be provided during all 3 services so there’s no worries there. During each of these services we’ll begin with inspiring Worship as we provide you with a 9 point Prayer Guide helping you stay on task throughout the week. Also during the services we’ll have 3 Prayer Focuses set up in the sanctuary so we can get behind them together in prayer.

This week as you seek God let me encourage you to remove yourselves from distractions so you’ll encounter the Father, Son & Holy Spirit sensing Their presence in a greater way & clearly hearing God's voice reassuring you of His love and amazing plan for you. My prayer is that you find peace gaining a fresh and new perspective on life receiving God’s guidance and power for living as He fills us with His Spirit. So, this week schedule into your day everyday a time of uninterrupted prayer and fasting; no TV, no phone, no activity...just you and God. You determine the amount of time. For some it may mean getting up earlier or going to sleep later, you decide what works best for you.

Francie & I along with the BPC Staff will be praying for you this week & we hope you’ll be able to join us for any or all of these special services!

Monday, January 2, 2012

BPC’s Newest Staff Member

Sunday was not only exciting cuz it was New Year’s Day but at BridgePoint Church I announced our newest volunteer staff member! Kim Cogley has joined the BPC Staff as my Administrative Assistant and boy oh boy am I so glad Kim’s on board with us!

Kim has an incredable gift for Administration and Detail which was clearly evident during BPC’s biggest outreach of 2011; Hope for the Burgh. (see above pic) Kim did a fantastic job leading that event coordinating over 100 volunteers & serving close to 500 people from our community. Kim loves God, is a hard worker and a great example of what a servant of Christ should always be; willing to help out where there was a need!

Kim has the MCM Pittsburgh Network of Churches DNA running through her spirit having been raised by her parents, Bill & Donna Machen who were a part of Allison Park Church in the North Hills while Ron Bailey was the Pastor. Kim came through Pastor Cal & Miss Vickie’s very first children’s ministry as part of their original “Son Shine Kids.”

At BPC Kim’s responsibilities will include handling all the day to day Admin aspects of the church so that I can now focus my efforts on Prayer, God’s continued vision & mission for BPC, Staff & Leadership Development as well as other parts of BPC’s ministry that need my immediate attention.

BridgePoint now operates with a staff of 6 dedicated leaders who love God will all of their hearts, souls, minds and strength and Love their neighbors as themselves continuing to Connect Real People to the Real God in Tarentum and the entire Allegheny Valley!

Welcome a board Kim; we’re so excited you’re a part of our team!!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

BPC’s 1st podcast of 2012

Happy New Year!

On New Year’s Day I began a new messages series entitled: “Text Messages; What We Believe About the Bible as We Develop Spiritual Disciplines for Life” and the title of BPC’s 1st podcast of 2012 is; “Texting Application.”

James 1:22-25 is our Text (I couldn’t resist the pun so please excuse me) and it reveals a lot about the condition of our hearts because reading, hearing, obeying and then applying God’s word can be measured by the effect it has on our behavior and attitudes! There’s much more to this message then this so you’ll just have to listen to the podcast. And…

Listening to BPC podcasts is as easy to do in 2012 as it was in 2011; Just click on the title of this blog post and you’ll be directed to our podcast webpage.

Hope you’re blessed by my very 1st message of 2012!