What Is Your Image of God?

January 3rd, 2012

On Sunday, Jimmy preached a word that is the very foundation of our faith walk and our spiritual health and maturity. Everything meaningful in our lives will flow from our understanding and acceptance of this truth; the truth that God is Love. Our realization and understanding of this sets the stage for freedom, healing, value, purpose, vision, and overall kingdom life. I am convinced by the way we live, that we do not have a complete understanding of God’s love for us.

So which image do you see in your understanding of God?  Please take the time to listen to Sunday’s sermon. If you cannot access the podcast let me know. I will get you a CD. It is a MUST for our stepping into 2012 together and experiencing the great things God has in store for us.


Michael and Kathy Hindes

November 28th, 2011

Michael Hindes and his wife Kathy will be at ECF on Sunday Dec. 4th to bless and serve our fellowship. Michael and Kathy have become part of our extended family and we are looking forward to what they will bring to us at this point in our journey. Please take time to read Michael’s BIO below and feel free to invite friends to be with us this coming Sunday.

BIO:
Michael and Kathy have been married for more than 30 years and have been blessed with 3 wonderful sons – Nicholas, Jason and Wade. Trained as Nurses, they began their careers in the
Emergency Room and later finished in Home Care . In 1994, they began serving at Life of Faith Fellowship, now Cross Current Church, in Port Huron, Michigan. Michael began as a prophetic teacher, later served as executive pastor and eventually became Senior Pastor of Cross Current Church. He and Kathy served side by side in that role for nearly 7 years.

Michael and Kathy served in leadership at Adventures in Missions from 2008 until October of 2011 where he provided oversight for the World Race, Passport, Ambassador, and Adventures Youth programs.  Now living in Gainesville, GA, they remain passionate about discipleship, leadership development, and church planting.


Sunday December 4th

November 11th, 2011

Please mark you calenders for this date.  Michael Hindes, along with his wife Kathy, will be in town that weekend to bring us whatever is on his heart. Michael, through Mike and Patti Paschall, has a deep feeling of connection with our church body. He feels led to come on a somewhat regular basis and impart what God gives him to say to us. Michael is a very passionate and anointed man that we have grown to love and respect.

We are praying about the number and schedule of services during his time here. There is a possibility of two services on Sunday, but we will have that nailed down for sure during the next week or so. Be praying for Michael and what he brings to the table.

paul


Sunday Outdoors – 10:30 am

October 25th, 2011

This Sunday Oct. 30th, we will have services at the home of Jimmy and Lorna Hering. Weather permitting, we will be on the back porch with a warm fire, good music, great food, and hot coffee.  There will be a bit of worship, probably a word, some prayer, and whatever else God wants to accomplish.

We did this last year and it was awesome so……….   Please bring a breakfast or dessert type dish to add to the pot. Bring warm clothes and a lawn chair. Bring a friend and also get the word to anyone that could possibly show up at ECF and find the building empty.

Please call me with any questions or suggestions.

paul


Upcoming Super-Schedule

October 4th, 2011

Upcoming Super-Schedule

October 9

Jimmy Hering will bring a word on FORGIVENESS. I strongly encourage the body to be there if at all possible. Amomg other things, Jim will talk about the power, peace, and freedom that comes with giving and receiving Forgiveness. Our future, in many ways, depends on our acceptance of this deep truth.

October 15-16

Anthony Chapman from the U.K. will be spending Saturday night and Sunday morning with us and his message is sure to shake up our body in a most wonderful way. Get ready to have you paradigms wrecked before your eyes if you dare. We will share a meal Sat. night before Anthony gets started.

October 23

Lorna Hering has a message burning in her heart and we will greatly benefit by receiving a little wisdom and insight from the more lovely side of creation. Be in prayer for Lorna as she hears from the Lord and prepares to bless us.

October 30

Outdoor Sunday will be held on the back porch of the Herings estate. Food, worship, prayer, and nature will will be mixed together for a guaranteed great morning. More details to come.

November 6

Paul Allison
will be in the pulpit on this, his birthday to bring what will surely be a God- inspired message to the body. Paul is a powerful speaker who is both gifted and anointed to preach the good news. Okay, all kidding aside. I just love people and I’m sure the Lord will give me meaningful word by November.

What a great Fall season we have in progress right now. Be in prayer for the body and those bringing the goods over the next month.


THE BRIT IS BACK

September 20th, 2011

The weekend of October 15/16 is going to be a great time for ECF and anyone else looking to join us. Our new-old friend Anthony Chapman from England will be in the area and wants to drop by and give away some life to our body. Anthony is a man full of love and grace; so much so that his words confront many mindsets that we in the church have yet to be free of, most likely! In fact, he currently has a word for the church at large and we have said we desire to receive it.

We are going to do it up right with a BBQ dinner Saturday night, the 15th. Some of the men will take care of the brisket and sausage and others feel free to bring your favorite side or dessert.  We do not have a time set in stone for Saturday night, but most likely we will begin supper in the 6-6:30pm range and follow up with worship on a full belly and Anthony’s comments. We will have the normal format on Sunday morning with Anthony again bringing the message.

Please begin to pray for our body and for Anthony as he comes to pour out his love and revelation on us. This will be an exciting time for us. And, feel free to bring anyone you feel would benefit from this weekend.

Paul

p.s.  If you want to get a feel for the different kind of guy Anthony is, please check out the website of his fellowship in York. This cat is different, and different is GOOD!

www.rockchurch.org.uk


SUPER – SUNDAY the 4th

August 23rd, 2011

Sunday, September 4th is going to be a very special and cool time for ECF.  Our beloved Mike and Patti along with all of their kids and grand kids will be in town for some family celebrations. They will also be coming to fellowship with and minister to us at ECF.

Mike will be in the pulpit which is always a treat, but we will also get son in law Jon Egan who will be leading worship that day. Now we all pretty much know who Mike is but who the heck is Jon Egan? Well, he is a father, husband, musician, song writer, artist, etc., etc., etc.  He is also the leader of a project called Desperation Band. He has led worship in many places around the country, and even the globe and has ministered in front of 1000′s of people.  I think we will be enormously blessed by him that Sunday morning.

Another thing about Jon. He is a glorious “goober” just like the rest of us.  He’s a wonderfully created and anointed person seeking the Lord just like you and me. That’s what you will see in him and also what you will see in all of Mike and Patti’s kids.

I would encourage you to find the Desperation Band link on this web site and check out some of Jon’s music and ministry. There are also many good You Tube links that you can visit.  Let’s be prepared to welcome these awesome folks in to our place and be open to receive the blessings they carry.

paul


Prayer

August 19th, 2011

How’s your prayer life? Are you going to God over and over only to find that your not getting the results you were hoping for? Do you get frustrated, feeling like you don’t even know how to pray? If so, then Sunday is your day. Jimmy’s area of concern this week will be “prayer” and he will most likely cover some of the questions mentioned above. Please come with an open heart, an open mind, and an expectation to receive something special.

Remember, 10:30 is huggin and lovin time!


SOMEBODY GET ME A WITNESS!

August 19th, 2011

Recently, we were at mom and dads for Sunday lunch which happens on a fairly regular basis.  As we prepared to eat a call went out for someone to bless the food, say grace, pray, or whatever you want to call it. We don’t do this every single Sunday but being “good” Christians we try to.  My father and I both looked at my 17 yr old son and he immediately knew that he would be the one bringing the goods. I was so shocked when he didn’t object, but I should have known something was up.

We all assumed the posture of prayer and waited to be blessed. But as he began to speak I didn’t hear my son’s voice so much. I was basically hearing a rendition of James Brown in the Blues Brothers. This goober was praying in character. He was doing an old African American preacher, bringing it hot and heavy. Of course I quickly pulled the plug. Not because I didn’t enjoy what he was doing but because I was afraid of what my parents might think.  And that’s when my dad said the words that set me back a little.  “Let him do it like he wants to do it” is what came out of my father’s mouth. Travis then looked at me and said “ if I’m gonna do this, I’ll do it like I want to.”  How could I possibly argue with that. I blessed my 17 yr old’s rebellion and off he went.

As he went on and on thanking Brother-Father-God for lots of cool things, joy and laughter filled the room. He gave thanks for his family, the food, and all kinds of things. I’d never been so uncomfortable and enjoyed a prayer so much at the same time. I began to relax as I realized he was winding down but he wasn’t done. Just when I thought we were out of the woods he brought the real heat, knocked it out of the park,  scored the winning goal and delivered the knock out punch. He wrapped up his blessing with, “and God thank you for my Grand dad who took me to 6 different places all over Waco to find a single car part and gave my one of the most fun days of my life.”  Oh wow!  The laughter kind of faded out and it got thick in there real quick-like. The air was sucked out of the room and then rushed back in too quickly to comprehend and all that was left was an old man with tears in his eyes.  My dad was “wrecked.”

I thought about that moment throughout the rest of the day. I had witnessed “kingdom” being delivered in a very unique way.  It wasn’t packaged in a traditional manner; one that would be accepted by too many believing groups. But trust me, God came in on it and we were all incredibly blessed.  In fact, my father has mentioned that moment no less than 4 times since Sunday and I’m sure that’s not the last I’ll hear about it.

In a given situation, are we prepared to bring kingdom life even if it pushes the boundaries of what we view as being reverent and proper? What is it in a given moment that will soften a person’s heart enough to deliver a solid dose of love, truth, hope, encouragement, or even correction? Is it laughter? Sometimes. Is it  questionable language? The bible warns us about living with a “potty mouth” but on occasion, a surgically placed off-color word wakes people up and even lets them see we are human. Is it pain? What? Andrew Shearman (pastor) once told us that he slapped a very large, tough looking man in a prayer line to get his attention so that he could speak life and love into him. The man received with much appreciation.  Heck, even Gary Black  (pastor) slapped the very 17 yr old I’m talking about in this blog and told him he needs to learn how to hug. And to this day Travis talks about it with a smile.  I would not recommend you try this unless your darn sure you can pull it off! The point is for us to ask the question “what do people need and how do they need it at a given point in time?” And, are we willing and able to set aside “how it looks” to meet them in their place of need?

Please don’t misunderstand me here. I’m not presenting my 17 yr old as a spiritual giant or anything. After all, while the rest of the family was at church, he was slobbering face down in his pillow at home. I’m just saying that maybe he gets something that I talk about sometimes but don’t completely understand. That God’s love and presence is so much deeper and more powerful that I can ever really comprehend. That He is at work in places and ways that don’t seem so “Christian.”
That religious words or actions do not guarantee that the presence and power of God will surely come. Maybe on occasion we should go with our gut and not our head when trying to reach others with love. Maybe we should start looking for God in the places that don’t seem so holy, in the last place we think He should be. Because He is there, somewhere. And if we can feel and sense what He is doing, we can touch so many more of His children than we ever imagined.

Paul

p.s.  This is not a free pass to go on a drinking, cussing, sarcasm and violence spree in the name of Jesus.  But, if you happen to find yourself doing this, just tell people you attend a church other than ECF!!!!!!!!!

Recently, we were at mom and dads for Sunday lunch which happens on a fairly regular basis. As we prepared to eat a call went out for someone to bless the food, say grace, pray, or whatever you want to call it. We don’t do this every single Sunday but being “good” Christians we try to. My father and I both looked at my 17 yr old son and he immediately knew that he would be the one bringing the goods.

I was so shocked when he didn’t object, but I should have known something was up.

We all assumed the posture of prayer and waited to be blessed. But as he began to speak I didn’t hear my son’s voice so much. I was basically hearing a rendition of James Brown in the Blues Brothers. This goober was praying in character. He was doing an old African American preacher, bringing it hot and heavy. Of course I quickly pulled the plug. Not because I didn’t enjoy what he was doing but because I was afraid of what my parents might think. And that’s when my dad said the words that set me back a little. “Let him do it like he wants to do it” is what came out of my father’s mouth. Travis then looked at me and said “ if I’m gonna do this, I’ll do it like I want to.” How could I possibly argue with that. I blessed my 17 yr olds’ rebellion and off he went.

As he went on and on thanking Brother-Father-God for lots of cool things, joy and laughter filled the room. He gave thanks for his family, the food, and all kinds of things. I’d never been so uncomfortable and enjoyed a prayer so much at the same time. I began to relax as I realized he was winding down but he wasn’t done. Just when I thought we were out of the woods he brought the real heat, knocked it out of the park, scored the winning goal and delivered the knock out punch. He wrapped up his blessing with, “and God thank you for my Grand dad who took me to 6 different places all over Waco to find a single car part and gave my one of the most fun days of my life.” Oh wow! The laughter kind of faded out and it got thick in there real quick-like. The air was sucked out of the room and then rushed back in too quickly to comprehend and all that was left was an old man with tears in his eyes. My dad was “wrecked.”

I thought about that moment throughout the rest of the day. I had witnessed “kingdom” being delivered in a very unique way. It wasn’t packaged in a traditional manner; one that would be accepted by too many believing groups. But trust me, God came in on it and we were all incredibly blessed. In fact, my father has mentioned that moment no less than 4 times since Sunday and I’m sure that’s not the last I’ll hear about it.

In a given situation, are we prepared to bring kingdom life even if it pushes the boundaries of what we view as being reverent and proper? What is it in a given moment that will soften a person’s heart enough to deliver a solid dose of love, truth, hope, encouragement, or even correction? Is it laughter? Sometimes. Is it questionable language? The bible warns us about living with a “potty mouth” but on occasion, a surgically placed off-color word wakes people up and even lets them see we are human. Is it pain? What? Andrew Shearman (pastor) once told us that he slapped a very large, tough looking man in a prayer line to get his attention so that he could speak life and love into him. The man received with much appreciation. Heck, even Gary Black (pastor) slapped the very 17 yr old I’m talking about in this blog and told him he needs to learn how to hug. And to this day Travis talks about it with a smile. I would not recommend you try this unless your darn sure you can pull it off! The point is for us to ask the question “what do people need and how do they need it at a given point in time?” And, are we willing and able to set aside “how it looks” to meet them in their place of need?

Please don’t misunderstand me here. I’m not presenting my 17 yr old as a spiritual giant or anything. After all, while the rest of the family was at church, he was slobbering face down in his pillow at home. I’m just saying that maybe he gets something that I talk about sometimes but don’t completely understand. That God’s love and presence is so much deeper and more powerful that I can ever really comprehend. That He is at work in places and ways that don’t seem so “Christian.”

That religious words or actions do not guarantee that the presence and power of God will surely come. Maybe on occasion we should go with our gut and not our head when trying to reach others with love. Maybe we should start looking for God in the places that don’t seem so holy, in the last place we think He should be. Because He is there, somewhere. And if we can feel and sense what He is doing, we can touch so many more of His children than we ever imagined.

Paul

p.s. This is not a free pass to go on a drinking, cussing, sarcasm and violence spree in the name of Jesus. But, if you happen to find yourself doing this, just tell people you attend a church other than ECF!!!!!!!!!


It Is Time!

May 13th, 2011

The message to our ECF body during this current season has come from a variety of voices and the general theme seems to be the same from them all. The message is this. It is time for the gifts of our people (gifts of the Holy Spirit) to be released in the house for the benefit of our body and for the equipping of a people called to infect the world with the love of God. It is time for us step into a new coat. One that is slightly larger than our previous coat. It will be one that we will have to “grow into” and learn to walk in differently that our old coat. It will most likely be uncomfortable at times and seem to not fit right, but we will learn to walk in it with confidence and trust.

Several weeks ago, Jimmy identified and called out the gifts residing in each of us. These are gifts of the Spirit, not just talents and abilities. At times these gifts might seem to be just normal traits that rest inside of you. But make no mistake; these are supernatural treasures that were placed in us at the time of our creation. We don’t always use them, but they are there nonetheless. And what Jim did was point out our seemingly strongest gift. We probably have others that will be revealed during the course of our journey and that makes for quite a fun ride.

If you are wondering what all of this means, what it will look like, and how you might operate in your giftings; join the club. We don’t have all of the answers here and that’s probably a good thing. There are different levels of maturity in our body as in every body. Some have seen the Lord move in ways that others have not and God might move in an entirely new way from what any of us have experienced before. The great part is that we get to learn, experience, succeed, fail, and love together.

Please pray with us that God will begin to show us new things in new ways. Pray that he will give us His spirit in ways that help us to know He is real.  Pray that he gives us healings, miracles, and new beginnings. Pray that we will come into new understanding about how to recover ourselves in areas where the enemy has gained ground.  Simply put, pray for His will to be done in us.

How about we ask for this to begin Sunday. No better time than now!

paul