In the church we too must have only one goal - one target. This goal must always and ever be the first priority of the church. If we lose focus then the results will be tragic. Let me remind all of us what the target of Calvary Baptist Church is:

The church exists for only one purpose: to spread the fame of God. It must be our desire to accurately reflect our Heavenly Father to everyone with whom we come into contact. No matter what the circumstance, we should want everyone to walk away with the right impression of our God.

If people have the right idea about God, then they will have the right idea about us. We are a people who love others because God first loved us; we serve others because God serves us; we care about the needs of others because God has always been faithful to care for our needs.

In making God big and us small, I believe that we will be on the right path to hitting the target of making God the center of everything in our lives. We just can't get over how great and good God is!

I have come to learn that not everyone will be happy with the choice we make in flooring, but that is not the focus of the church. My goal cannot be, must not be, to make everyone happy with the new building. My goal must be to shepherd you to keep your focus on the majesty and glory of God. Flooring is way down the list of priorities; God's glory is at the top of the list.

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Grace & Peace,

Scott

Breast cancer is very curable if detected early. I would encourage all of the ladies reading this to call your doctor in the next few days to see if you need a mammogram. I have been told by more than a few people that I make them nervous when I start using "doctor talk" so I will spare you the pain and my family the embarrassment. But I do think it is just common sense to want to live as long as you can to have more opportunity to honor God and serve others. Early detection of breast cancer that can be treated is part of a good plan to accomplish that.

Cherish those who've survived this disease and remember well those who've died. Just because someone you know is over their surgeries and treatment doesn't mean they are over the trauma of their cancer. I've always tried to tell you, "Hug them while you have them." This week talk, call, text, Facebook, and write those who you know have gone through the dark portal of breast cancer. Let them know you are thankful God has willed that they are still alive; let them know how much you love and need them. One of the ways to remember someone who died due to breast cancer is to donate to breast cancer research. Check out www.komen.org for further information.

Finally I want to share something deeply personal to our family. Our Mom, Adella Walsingham, is a three-time breast cancer survivor. To her family and friends she is better than Superwoman and her invisible jet! She is a living testimony that you don't have to curl up in a ball and quit; with God's amazing grace and loving people surrounding you, you can get through anything. Talk to her, she is a phenomenal woman!

Grace & Peace,

Scott

We must not take people for granted! Easily said (or typed) but hard to practice. Do we know how much we need one another? This is a two-edged sword for a Christ-follower because we do live to serve one another, but we don't live just to have others serve us.

Hundreds of kindnesses are shown to us everyday and if we don't stop and say a simple, "Thank you" I believe a little part of the pipeline of God's grace gets plugged. Let me try to explain...

The Bible teaches about two general categories of grace operating in the world: uncommon grace and common grace. Uncommon grace is the grace of salvation. It's God's amazing grace that does something to change a person's life forever. This type of grace is secured by God's love through the cross. The gospel is what rescues us from the clutches of Satan; it delivers us front he punishment that our sin deserves. Uncommon grace is uncommon in part because not everyone experiences this grace.

The other type of grace is common grace; it is what touches the entire world every day. This is why it rains on the sinner's crops as well as the saint's. This is why the sun rises every morning and sets every night on the whole world. This grace God shares with the entire world in thousands of ways every day.

Because believers have been dramatically changed by uncommon grace we become conduits of God's common grace. Everybody in the world can show kindness (and by and large they do), but I believe it is those who've been uncommonly grace-touched who have a greater responsibility to be more grace oriented than the rest. No Christian can make it rain, but we can express kindness to those around us. We have an obligation to let God's grace flow through us to others. We can pause and say "Thank you"; we can help a young mother with three preschoolers in tow load her groceries into her minivan; we can take one afternoon a week to visit a shut in.

This is just a reminder to us all to make sure we spill out God's grace to the world. Let's not use being tired or busy as an excuse to miss grace pouring opportunities.

Grace & Peace,

Scott

The idea of presumption is one of assuming something will happen that in fact might or might not come to pass. For us as a church, relocating without first praying for the Lord's leadership, being considerate of the entire congregation, thinking through the cost, and believing in growth would be assuming many things that may or may not happen. Presumption is pride, and those who presume cannot afford to fail. While I certainly don't want to fail, I do believe we can fail in certain practical areas and it still won't destroy the work that God is doing. Read this carefully, I don't believe God will fail, but because we are human, working with other humans, we will fail and others will fail along the way.

Presumption also acts first and asks for God's blessing after. (You know the old saying, "It is easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.") This is a very dangerous philosophy to follow when it comes to God's church; sometimes He just allows us to fall flat on our faces. I would argue that this is what will happen if what we are doing is motivated by pride. Remember what James teaches us, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6).

While I certainly don't know, nor can I predict, what will happen in the future of Calvary Baptist Church, I do believe that because we are seeking to honor God's majesty and help His children, that He will bless us immeasurably. As your pastor I rest securely on the following words from James,

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit." - yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that (James 4:13-16, emphasis added).

Grace & Peace,

Scott