If your church has a strong sports identity, then a World Series Sunday could also work.  I have used it a few times.  Your options on a Sunday like this are to either ignore something significant in the culture as the World Series, or to just mention it in passing, or build a theme around it.  Obviously you don’t have to build the theme around it every year, but sometimes it works, especially if YOUR team made it to World Series.  Why not build on the natural enthusiasm and excitement that is already there?  The danger of not even acknowledging it is that the people in your congregation who love sports may tend to think of you as the Pastor, or the church as irrelevant or out of touch.

The year we really did it big, we used some baseball music, had a drawing for baseballs, got some baseballs autographed, had a Christian baseball player come in and give a testimony and sign his own baseball cards, gave people permission to wear their favorite team’s jerseys or colors, and, of course, preached a baseball sermon. 

I am including the video of the sermon I preached this year at our church.  It is an old sermon that I have preached before, but I have never gotten it on video before, so it is coming from our church account on Vimeo.  I think you will see how the sermon is designed to help people see where they are spiritually and also has an evangelistic invitation.  Some sports fans will come on a special day, especially if you have a ball player or a chance for them or their kids to get an autographed card or baseball.

I hope you enjoy the sermon, “Baseball Is Life:  The Four Bases of Life!”

9:30 HTBC 10/23/11 from Highland Terrace Baptist on Vimeo.

By the way, if I had it to do again, I would make the sermon shorter by taking out some of the references to the Philippian jailer.

Hey, if you enjoy the video sermon give me a “like.”  If you would like more information use the contact page, or leave a comment.

Be Blessed Today and “Get On Base!”

Kelly

I cannot remember if I learned it in Beginners (Kindergarten sunday School) or in Primaries (Elementary Sunday School), but I’m pretty sure I need to thank Mrs. Harp, my Primaries teacher, and Mrs. Waller who played the piano during our class assembly.  They not only taught us the Bible stories and the truths of the Scripture, they also taught us to keep those truths in our hearts by putting the messages into melodies we could never forget. 

You may have sung about Zacchaeus, too.  “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he.  He climbed up in a Sychamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see.  And as the Lord came walking by He looked up in the tree.  And He said, ‘Zacchaeus, you come down, for I’m going to your house today…for I’m going to your house today.’”  Oh, it brings back the memories of a little white stuccho church on the dusty plains of West Texas.

Jesus Set The Example!

But I learned about Zacchaeus who was a sinner and Jesus who was the Savior.  I also learned that Jesus made house calls.  He came to Jericho to make a visit.  Zack (for short, ha) was someone who expressed interest in Jesus.  He was so interested that when he could not get to the street to see the Lord passing by, he actually climbed up into a tree.  Imagine a well dressed business man climbing up into a tree to get a glimpse of Jesus today!  His interest went beyond mere curiousity. 

And the Lord came to answer His questions.  Questions like “Is Jesus really the Messiah,” “Does God really care about someone like me,” and “Can someone like me be forgiven?”  Jesus came to invite Zack into salvation and back into the sheepfold, and he was more eager to accept the invitation than anyone in town would have ever believed.

OK.  Why the song and the story?  Because Jesus gave us a model.  We are called to follow Him.  Guess what?  Jesus was a visitor.  During His brief ministry, He went on visitation.  He made lots of visits and He set the example for us.

Churchwide Visitation at HTBC

Monday, September 19th is (monthly) Churchwide Visitation.  It is open to all our church members.  We are organizing it primarily through our Bible Study classes and we are asking all of our Bible Study leaders from every age group to lead out and participate.  There is a light meal at 5:30 and visitation at 6:00.  It is a perfect opportunity to stop by and see that member who has been absent for a few weeks, or the prospect that has visited church and would be a perfect fit for your Bible Study group, or just to stop by and drop off the new quarterly for someone in your class who needs it.  So, grab a buddy and see me at the Family Center on Monday!  (Or, we might all come to your house.)

You are loved,

Bro. Kelly

“Baseball Is Life!”

8:15, 9:30, and 10:55 AM

It has been called the “All American Pass Time.”  It unites all generations.  It requires skill and strategic thinking.  It is fun to play and to watch.

It is like a dream come true for Texas Rangers’ fans to be able to go to the World Series for the second straight year. The one thing that could make it an even better dream is when they WIN. It was exciting to watch them win in their American League Championship Series against Detroit last week. Nelson Cruz made it exciting with his record setting performance with 6 homers and 13 RBI’s. Rangers’ fans have waited patiently for a long time for a World Series like this one against the Cards.  (Now you finally get to wear your Texas Ranger’s jersey to church.)

Baseball is a lot like life. There are a lot of ups and downs. There is a struggle. It takes practice and skill. You never know what will happen. Everybody gets their turn at bat. You cannot score a run unless you get on base. And there is so much more.

Baseball has woven itself into the everyday fabric of life and legend. And there are so many great stories that come out of baseball. We love to hear of those who have become great champions and others who have overcome great challenges.  Many of us have loved playing the game and many more have been thrilled at going to the stadium and getting caught up in the enthusiasm of the crowd.  

Even the Apostle Paul seemed to enjoy sports.  He used many sports illustrations in his epistles. He said, “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” (I Cor. 9:25). He compared the Christian life with athletics. Anyone who is serious about their sport, whether it is baseball or something else, will train hard and those who train hard usually do well.

I hope you will join us this Sunday, October 23, for “WORLD SERIES SUNDAY!” I will be preaching the message, “Baseball is Life.” It is a rare opportunity to consider some of the similarities between Life and Baseball. It will be both fun and challenging. Let me urge you to invite a friend for Worship and Bible Study.

I want to urge all of the Adult Classes to make preparations for something special in class and try to have your whole “Roster” present.  I know the Youth and Children’s Ministries will also be doing some related things in their classes and children’s church.

“Take me out to the church house…”

You Are Loved,

Bro. Kelly

PS Be sure to wear your Ranger’s jersey, t-shirt, or colors. (Or whatever your favorite team is, we love everybody ) I will be wearing mine.

Play To Win!

19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. 23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. 24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.

1 Corinthians 9:19-24 (NASB)

For instance, we learned how important it is to reach the most “reachable” or “receptive and responsive” people first.  We learned that it is easier to reach people who are most “like” us.  We learned about the “natural bridges” that God has set up in humanity and that when we cross the “natural bridges” of family and social structures that are already in place, that we can reach whole tribes of people.

Is Sunday School a Missionary Activity?

The Sunday School movement was actually a missionary innovation.  It was started to meet a need and was so successful that churches adopted it to minister to their own people and reach out to their own communities. 

How does a missionary think?  Well, at least one way, is to think about who is the “unreached people group” I am trying to reach?  In other words, what type of people is our class trying to reach?  Are they retired, married, single, divorced, widowed, teen, children, boys, girls, men, women, professionals, students, blue collar, white collar, 20-30, 30-40, 40-50, 50-60, 60-70, 70-up, etc.  But Bro. Kelly, our class wants to reach EVERYBODY.  Great, but how is that working?  Usually, if we do not have a specific group in mind, then we are likely to reach no one. 

How Do We Begin To Think Like Missionaries?

First, decide which “unreached people group” your class can reach.  The group you are most likely to reach is the group you are a part of.  What kind of people make up your current Bible Study group?  Look around the room.  Look on the roll.  Look at the literature.  Who are you? 

Second, ask where do go to find these people?  Where do parents with preschool children hang out?  Where do parents with elementary children hang out?  Where can you find teenagers?  Where will you find Senior Adults?  What kinds of activities does your “unreached people group” like to participate in?  What is their learning style?  Is it lecture, discussion, video, etc. 

Third, learn everything you can about the group God has assigned YOU to reach and then begin to do everything you can to reach that group.  Paul said, “to the Jews I became as a Jew to win the Jews, to the Gentiles, I became a Gentile, to win the Gentiles.”  Adapt to your group, don’t expect them to adapt to you.

By the way, that is the reason that as a Bible Study organization within a church, we use “graded” classes.  We grade our classes so that each class has a better understanding of its own best “unreached people group.”  We also grade our classes so that when a guest wants to visit our Bible Study groups and asks which one would be best suited for him or her, we are able to point them in the right direction so it is a good experience for them and not a bad experience because they went into a class that was supposed to be couples 30-40, but was really singles 55-65.  This also helps those at our Welcome Centers to be better able to direct guests since they can see the class distinctives such as age groups of each Bible Study.

This week when you come to Bible Study, look around the room and think like a missionary.  And remember, you ARE one.

You are loved,

Bro. Kelly

Do our Adults CARE?
Do our Teens CARE?
Do our Children CARE?
Do our Senior Adults CARE?
Do our Single’s CARE?

I am reminded of the enthusiastic survey taker who rang the doorbell and was greeted by a man who had a two day beard and looked like he had just rolled out of bed.  He told him he was working with a national firm making a very important survey the results of which could have dramatic implications.  He asked if he could ask a couple of questions and began with, “Do you think the greatest problem in America is ignorance or apathy?”  The man answered, “I don’t know and I don’t care.”  Slam.

He did have an important point.  There are few who care.  I believe many today would say like David, “no man cares for my soul” (Psalm 142:4).  I wonder how many people in Greenville feel that way right now?  How many people in Hunt County?  How many people in our own church family?  Perhaps someone right now is reading this and saying to themselves.  “That is exactly how I feel.”  You are not alone.

If people were to ask if there was a Christian or a church in town that really “cared” about people, which one would it be?  If people asked if there was a Bible Study class that really cared about people, would it be yours?  A youth group…a children’s program…a ministry…etc.? 

Perhaps I should even ask, “Do YOU care?”  That is the REAL question, isn’t it?  Do YOU CARE about the people in your church family?  Do YOU CARE about the people in your Bible Study?  Do YOU CARE about the people under your ministry? 

At Highland Terrace, we don’t want to just create more Bible Studies, or more ministries for the sake of just learning more or doing more.  “People don’t care how much you know until they know you much you care.”  By the way, JESUS really does CARE.  And WE really do CARE.  That is why Sunday, August 28 is designated “WHO CARES” Sunday.  The goal of all our Bible Studies and ministries is to “Call And Reach Everyone.”  Every Bible study leader, from the infants to the seniors is asked to organize their class to CARE.  We are asking every class to “Call And Reach Everyone” Every week culminating in Sunday morning, Bible Studies on August 28th.  Organize your group to send cards, emails, texts, to all your members, absentees, and prospects, and then, give them a PERSONAL CALL on each Saturday leading up the to the 28th. 

But please do not… “Slam.”

BTW, every person who brings a first time guest to Bible study on the 28th and brings me a card from their Bible Study leader will receive a Starbuck’s “CARE” card.

WHO CARES?  (get back to me on that) 

You are loved,

Bro. Kelly
“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

WORSHIP…CONNECT…SERVE…GO

Click below to download a basic Revival Preparation Guide

Revival Preparation Guide