Life Abounds

UISBC Agenda

2009-10-19T20:26:00.000-06:00

The agenda for the UISBC annual meeting is posted here.

UISBC Annual Convention

2009-09-25T09:15:00.004-06:00

Pastor's Conference
October 26-27, 2009

Missions Night
October 26, 2009

Utah/Idaho Southern Baptist Convention
October 27-28, 2009

Central Valley Baptist Church
600 North Ten Mile Road

Meridian, Idaho

Truth

2009-07-03T00:27:00.004-06:00

Y.E.S.

2009-07-02T09:11:00.000-06:00

Y.E.S. (Youth Evangelism Sending Teams) are out in full force this month. Students from Utah and Idaho are helping churches reach their communities. This month we (UISBC) are sending our first Y.E.S. team beyond our boarders and sending a team to Canada for nearly two weeks lead by John Martinez of Eastside Baptist Church in Twin Falls, Idaho.

Pray for all Y.E.S. teams.

Eastern Idaho

2009-06-06T22:01:00.000-06:00

9Marks eJournal

2009-05-02T18:32:00.004-06:00

Mark Dever, Pastor at Capital Hill Baptist Church in Washington DC has a great resource on church health and related aritcles that you may find of interest from time to time. 9Marks published a journal of various topics you can subscribe to here.

The May/June 2009 issue became an imediate read for me because of the topic of multi-site church growth thoughts. This reminded me of a pastor in Colorado in the early 70s who preached in New Castle and Rifle (about 14 miles apart) every Sunday morning while both churches were new and shared the support of their pastor. How could this be a model for church planting in rural Idaho and Utah as well as the cities of Salt Lake City and Boise?

Prayer For New State Staff

2009-04-01T18:17:00.001-06:00

Dear Utah/Idaho Southern Baptist,
Join together in prayer as the process continues in the search of new state staff positions.

Church Shooting March 8, 2009

2009-03-08T17:00:00.003-06:00

Today at First Baptist Church of Maryville, Ill, pastor Fred Winters was shot to death while preaching.

"Senior Pastor Fred Winters was preaching during the 8:15 a.m. service when a man entered the church, walked down the aisle and started shooting, a parishioner told FOX News. Four others were also reportedly shot." FOXNEWS

Please pray for this church and his family.

Repent!

2009-03-04T09:32:00.003-07:00

While still reading the classic, "the Overcoming Life" by D. L. Moody in Chapter four he says;

"When the ungodly see that Christian people do not, you cannot expect them to repent and turn away from their sins."

Moody then proceeds to walk through five things that flow out of true repentance.

Conviction
Contrition
Confession of sin
Conversion
Confession of Jesus Christ

I'm surprised and encouraged to hear Moody's boldness from the pulpit. He frequently pleads with the listener to 'repent' and he is clear about what is ment by repent. He must have been a fun guy to listen to, but very straight forward about Truth. At first glance, the title of his book sounds like a modern day 'self-help' book, but with every word I hear it as bathed in Scripture.

Act Like a Man

2009-02-27T11:10:00.006-07:00

A classic song by Isaac Watts entitled "Am I A Soldier of the Cross" has captured my attention while reading a biography of D.L. Moody. This song is rooted, according to Watts, in 1 Corinthians 16:13; "Be alert, stand firm in the faith, act like a man, be strong." (HCSB).

I'm captured by this song mostly because of its reflective strength within my spirit. The First and final verse (isn't that how hymns are supposed to be sung?) speaks to the duty of proclamation upon the follower of Christ.

v.1 Am I a soldier of the cross,
   A foll'wer of the Lamb?
   And shall I fear to own His cause,
   or blush to speak His name?
v.4 Sure I must fight if I would reign,
   Increase my courage, Lord:
   I'll bear the toil, endure the pain
   Supported by Thy Word.

Was Isaac Watts writing this song to men? When I look at the Scripture text he claims to have used as background text, it does seem to fit that this is a song written to men. So if that is the case, men, 'act like a man' and be a soldier of the cross.

I mean no disrespect at this point (or at any point for that matter) but where are the men in the church in America? This song was a favorite of D.L. Moody and seems to have been a regular theme of this second great awakening in our land. Leave the song aside and look at the Scripture again and look at the landscape of our churches today. Paul was not telling women to 'act like a man.' Where are most of the men? Who's doing the teaching? Who's leading the music? Who's taking up the offering? Who's meeting the needs of the orphan and widow? Who's doing the preaching? Who's going on mission? Are we soldiers of the cross? I'm praying (like others I trust) for a fresh awakening in our land, I'm calling out the call to the men in our church to stand up and 'act like a man.' There is an equal need to call out the women to act like a woman; however, this is not a article about if a woman could or should, this is an article calling out the men. (at this point, I do wish to express my awareness that there are men doing these things with brave boldness, and I do not wish to diminish the courageous behavior of women, I'm simply raising the question.)

(SIDE NOTE: I enjoyed reading Isaac Watts' explanation of why he wrote songs, he was tired of the ones being sung in his day (this was met with opposition) so he wrote new ones that were fresh.)

Administrative Committee Meeting

2009-02-19T00:04:00.003-07:00

The Administrative Committee of the Utah/Idaho SBC will be meeting Thursday and Friday (2/19-2/20) in Salt Lake City.

Please pray as they begin the journey of exploring resumes concerning open ministry positions within the UISBC.

Ski and Share is March 13-15 Contact the state office for more information. 801.572.5350

Herding Crowds or Authentic Follower of Christ?

2009-02-03T22:00:00.002-07:00

Dear Utah/Idaho SBC,

Have you discovered yet how short and precious each day is? (I'm discovering this every day.) How much of your day gets chewed up on superficial things? I've been reading biographies of missionaries from the 1800's and early 1900's and find myself silenced by the preparation of a past era of the church and how she prepared herself to die well. She produced (like she still does today) followers of Christ ready to give themselves without hesitation to God.

Someone in the past must have spent time teaching followers how to die well. Will you join me in praying for a generation in the church prepared to die well? Pray for a generation that will be real with God and real with man. Pray for a generation of young men who will take hold of life and turn off their TVs and abandon the stuff that keeps them mediocre. Pray for young women who will be attracted by God's glory over the attention a guy gives her because of her clothing. Pray with me for both, that their emotions will no longer be dictated for them by this present age, but rather directed by God Himself who has promised He will never leave them or forsake them. Pray with me for authentic followers and fewer herding crowds.

O, for an awakening; an awakening in this land that will grip the attention of the world, An awakening that is heard from the silent prayer closet of a pastor praying and rightly dividing the Word of Truth. An awakening that shakes the sleeping out of their slumber.

When I look at this generation of young people I am both joyed and troubled. Joyed because this day calls for authentic followers of Christ, and they are among us. Troubled because more and more, in their attempt to be individuals, are looking more like the world than a follower of Christ. The real follower of Christ in this generation will have to stand by himself while his friends gently row their boats down an easy going river unaware of the present danger of the deadly waterfall just ahead. There is too much chatter and noise to hear the roar of the danger to know how near death is. Ironically there must be nothing more lonely and silent than dying without Christ. The masses may have things and stuff that are shiny, expensive, and loud but how lonely and tragic the day that will be when they die Christless. Pray for a generation of young people who will be still and know that God is God.

21 Alive, I'm Christ's messenger; dead, I'm his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can't lose. Phil 1:21 (MSG)

Are we disciplining our youth to hear God's voice or follow after the latest church fad? Have we taught them what it looks like to abandon the attractions of this world or have we simply taught them the skills of sounding spiritual? Will they inherret from us non-profit organizations we call 'churches' or are they watching us follow with abandon a supernatural God? Will our annuity accounts keep us secure for an unknown day or will we finally live like sojourners in a foreign land? Are we ready Utah/Idaho Southern Baptists? If not, let's ready ourselves now! In the getting ready don't we become the sweet smelling aroma of Christ to a tragically superficial world?

Unplugging my TV and going to the prayer closet; because I need God more than this world!

Paul <><

The Last Hymn

2009-01-25T22:27:00.005-07:00

Is this how the 'last hymn' (or song) has always been treated? The congregation has gathered to seek the face of God; they have endured the music, passed the plate to the person next to them, and day dreamed their way through the sermon, and then while the song leader instructs the congregation to stand for the invitation (a.k.a. the 'last hymn') rather than asking God to search their hearts the vast majority view this ritual as time to gather all their things, stretch, rub the sleepy out of their eyes, and begin thinking about lunch plans rather than seek the face of Holy God and consider the weightiness of His glory.

While reading Hudson Taylor's biography by John Pollock over the past few days I'm stuck again at how common the issues are throughout the generations of the church. After giving so much of his life to the people of China, Taylor returned to his home church in Europe to realize how sterile the church had become.

As the full congregation rose to sing the last hymn (i.e. time to get ready to leave) Taylor looked around. Pew upon pew of the prosperous bearded merchants, shopkeepers, and visitors; demure wives in their bonnets, scrubbed children trained to hide their impatience; the atmosphere of smug piety sickened him. He seized his hat and left. "Unable to bear the sight of a congregation of a thousand or more Christian people rejoicing in their own security, while millions are perishing for lack of knowledge, I wandered out on the sands alone in great spiritual agony."

Was Taylor seeing what we see when we look at the congregation when they rise to sing the 'last hymn'? When people leave the gathering of the faithful do they go looking for places to display the glory of God or do they look for the moment to remind the pastor that the toilet has been running the entire time we have been together and that the music leader made them stand for too long? When God's people leave the assembly do they go away thinking about who needs to hear the gospel or do they whisper in the pastor's ear as they shake his hand telling him that if he doesn't go to visit the Thompson's soon they may start looking for another church?

We must repent of our self-seeking ways. We must seek the face of God. We must pray for an awakening!

If Hudson Taylor was sickened by the atmosphere of smug piety, what must it be like for God? I see hope in Christ, but it must be sought with a sober reality that it most likely may mean that the pursuit of the Glory of God will come on a lonely, out of the way, narrow, difficult road, where few will dare travel upon, but it leads to life! Stay the course! Fix your gaze upon Him and run the race!

Supernaturally Big!

2009-01-21T11:38:00.005-07:00

1 How blessed is he who considers the helpless; The Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble. Psalms 41:1 (NASB)

Does your church have a consideration of the helpless (the poor, needy, troubled, weak, etc.?)

Isn't there a spiritual disconnect when a church says that they care about the poor and then does not even have a consideration of the poor. Jesus told his disciples that they would always have the poor with them (Matt. 26:11.)

What does it communicate to the community your church is in when churches tell the helpless that we are "just a small church and we really can't help you." What does that say about our God? Doesn't it communicate that we think their problem is too big for God?

When did government get the task of feeding the poor? Government begins to do so when a "church" quits believing God can do supernaturally big with physically little. (remember the feeding of the crowd with a few fish and loaves of bread?)

The Southern Baptist Convention is the largest [non-catholic] denomination in the united states. We must ask God to help us not brag about ourselves because what will we say the next time someone in our community comes looking for assistance? "We are just a small church and we really can't help you."

Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is one of the ways we answer the call from the helpless.
the Salt Lake City Baptist Association Concern Center is one of the ways Baptists in the SLC area are able to answer the need
How does your church or association answer the call when it comes from the community? Share it here to encourage others to keep on or consider how to stimulate each other on to do good (Heb. 10 :23-25).

How supernaturally big is God? Undefinable (bigger than my thoughts and higher than my ways kind of big); if that is God then surely He's big enough to meet the need of this day

Why Churches Die

2009-01-11T14:31:00.004-07:00

I'm in an interesting read right now. Why Churches Die, by Mac Brunson and Ergun Caner. I have much to still digest and consider on many of their positions but this one quote has me in deep consideration.

Every church has three animals in the flock:
sheep, goats and wolves.
The job of biblical leadership is simple:
Love the sheep.
Convert the goats.
Kill the wolves.
-anonymous-

Environmentalists may take issue with such a statement like this, but consider it with me. isn't the book of Jude all about the identify and ridding the church of a lethal poison? Peter goes into great detail to identify the false prophet (wolf or 'lion') to help the church remain healthy.

What poisons are keeping the church chronically ill? (feel free to sign your comment as 'anonymous' if it helps speak boldly)

I hold that we would have to walk with extreme caution with a thought like the above statement. If we don't we may shoot sheep and goats alike while trying to protect them. (I'm speaking metaphorically about shooting them by the way.) But seriously why doesn't church leadership exercise biblical protection of the church for the health of the church?

Your God Is Too Small

2009-01-03T10:16:00.003-07:00

While reading J.B. Phillips (1906-1982) booklet Your God Is Too Small (originally published in 1953) I continue to discover, that for the most part, churches don't really wrestle with anything new. (maybe a few exceptions related to technology, but the core issues seem to span time.) When I read a biography of historical preachers I discover them expressing similar struggles that I experience, answering the same complaints from the body, and the timeless battle over music (hear both sarcasm and lament.)

The following statements by Phillips is among many profound observations on what we tend to do with God. (Keep in mind that these observations were made in 1953, the 'glory' days of our denomination.) What and who is the object of our worship?

Our hymns, with some notable exceptions, often express a Victorian and very rarely a "big enough" idea of God. To appreciate their true value they should be read aloud in cold blood and dissociated from the well loved tunes. At baptism, matrimony, and burial, we continue to use language which ordinary people can hardly understand, but which they feel vaguely is old-fashioned and out of touch with their actual lives. They respect the Grand Old Man and His peculiarities, but they feel no inclination to worship Him as the living God. (page 12 & 13)

I need to constantly be teaching the people in my church to fix their eyes on God and not their idea of a god. Does the average church member worship the same God as did Abraham, Moses, and David? I must use extreme caution how I present worship and who I place as the object of worship.

Phillips continues to address many misapplications of man that we place upon God but the one that I'm often guilty of doing is what he explains here.

There are, for example, those who are considerably worried by the thought of God simultaneously hearing and answering the prayers and aspirations of people all over the world. That may be because their mental picture is of a harassed telephone operator answering callers at a switchboard of superhuman size. It is really better to say frankly, "I can't imagine how it can be done" (which is the literal truth), than to confuse the mind with the picture of an enlarged man performing the impossible.

...Similarly it is natural and right, of course, that the worship we offer to God in public should be of the highest possible quality. But that must not lead us to conceive a musically "Third-Programme" god who prefers the exquisite rendering of a cynical professional choir to the ragged bawling of sincere but untutored hearts. (page 28 & 29)

Have I made God small (in my mind and others) by trying to explain what I can't explain? I know I have done so and I'm thankful for the insightful observation of Phillips in relationship to how small I tend to present God.

This causes me to bring to question if I have any ability apart from God to know quickly, or even at all, how to answer the (over marketed) question What Would Jesus Do? I closely walk next to idolatry if I decide what Jesus would do in a particular situation. I might be better to ask 'what did Jesus do?' and base my reasoning on what I know about God (the blessing of the Bible) rather than what I think about God (based on philosophy).

My Prayer: God, Help! In your bigness you have chosen me, I am undone before you.

Don't Waste Your Pulpit

2008-12-29T16:02:00.005-07:00

This 4 minute 21 second video clip by John Piper is insightful and a great reminder to the pastor and our responsibility. Be saturated by God.

Happy New Year!

Autonomous or Independent

2008-12-18T13:13:00.003-07:00

I received a game for my birthday back in October called Zobmondo!! Would You Rather? (don't take my link to mean 'endorsement') Simply put you read a 'would you rather' question from the box and then defend your answer to the others.

For example: Would you rather preach to angry Southern Baptists in a church without air conditioning in August or preach to angry Southern Baptists in a church building where someone removed their seat cushions? It's a given that both groups need a message on peacemaking and long suffering.

I've been considering an issue in my mind lately about whether I would want to be a pastor of an autonomous church or independent church. I ask myself: Why do we call ourselves autonomous churches rather than independent churches? I'll start with defining the adjective (I prefer Merriam Webster's Dictionary.)Would you rather be part of an autonomous church or an independent church?

Autonomous:

(a) having the right or power of self-government (b) undertaken or carried on without outside control
capable of existing, responding, reacting or developing independently of the whole

Independent:

not dependent: not subject to control by others not affiliated with a larger controlling unit
not requiring or relying on something else
not looking to others for one's opinions or for guidance in conduct
not requiring or relying on others (as for care or livelihood)

I'm sure there may be grounds for defending that Southern Baptist Churches are both independent and autonomous. I'm even in agreement that there is a hint of both that does define a Southern Baptist Church. I often hear these words used to define our unique relationship to each other, our associations and convention.

I find that the spirit of the word autonomous defines us best however. One could argue that the reason we are a convention of autonomous churches rather than Independent Baptists is because we believe in the value of faithful cooperation. Isn't that what the concept of the Cooperative Program is all about? Faithful cooperation. If God wants to use us together to do something, then we have just been invited by God to faithfully cooperate to that end.

What do you think? Would you rather?

KBYU

2008-12-12T10:14:00.003-07:00

I have this thought that I'm still fleshing out... so be patient.

Earlier this week I had the privilege of traveling to Salt Lake City. I was blessed to sit with a mom and dad while their son endured back surgery to correct a spinal curve. (I don't appreciate this like I should because I have never had to wait through a 7 hour surgery for one of my children.)

On Tuesday morning before returning home I spent about an hour in our UISBC state convention office with the state staff during their weekly chapel time. I was encouraged to listen to those serving the churches of Utah and Idaho. I'm thankful for them all.

This is not the reason for my post this week though. I'm posting because of what God showed me during the 4 hour trip to SLC and the 4 hour trip home. In the eight hours of trave,l I listened to KBYU radio (Mormon radio). This was an eye opening experience even though I would never encourage any follower of Christ to make KBYU a main investment for your ears, nor should this be interpreted by anyone as me endorsing KBYU radio (because I'm not.)

This is the short of what I heard.

nearly 4 hours of complete 'talks' (I don't know if they are called sermons or not, I don't use the word 'talk' to belittle the sermon, I just honestly don't know what to call it.)
nearly 3 hours of Christmas music (just like the ones you and I sing in church.)
an hour or so of miscellaneous talk and advertisement (all conservative and family friendly related topics.)

The LDS church has been attempting to look and sound more evangelical over the past 20 years, but especially the last 12, should come as no surprise to anyone in the Utah/Idaho region. What caught me off guard (other than the fact that there was no expository teaching going on at all, it was all topical and on very interesting topics) was that it wasn't until I heard the call letters of the radio station before I knew that I was not listening to an LDS radio station. After this moment I continued listening, expecting to hear something that I might be in disagreement with - imagine a long moment of awkward silence here - there was not one thing in the 8 hours of that I could disagree with in what I heard on the radio.

At this moment I may have many readers concerned about where I'm going with this. Stay with me. I'm not endorsing or am I suggesting that I am in agreement with Mormon doctrine. This is not a post about this kind of topic. In fact, let me state clearly for the record; there is no common foundational ground with Mormonism and (true) Christianity.

Back to the reason for this posting...

If pastors don't preach biblical doctrine and churches don't hold their pastor accountable to preach biblical doctrine then we sound just like the cultic teachers I heard on the radio who sounded just like preachers I've heard preach in 'evangelical' churches. This should cause great concern.

This posting is a call to the pastor to preach doctrine (the things that prove we are not building on the same foundation.) This posting is a call to the church to not settle for a motivational speaker. Preach the Word in season and out of season. Preach the Word when it's popular and especially when it's not popular. Preach the Word of God!

Flesh this out with me will you? What is going on in the American church that an LDS 'talk' sounds just like so many 'evangelical' sermons?

Go!

2008-12-02T09:45:00.005-07:00

You know the commission. GO! (Matthew 28, Acts 1:8, Hebrews 13, and many other Scriptures) Do you ever think about this [God-sized] commission. It's huge, it's risky, it's dangerous, but we've been promised that He Himself (Heb. 13:5-6) will NEVER desert us or EVER forsake us. WOW

In his book, Roaring Lambs, Bob Briner talks about how the churches influence in culture is quenched when she stays quiet in the mainstream (meaning all forms of music, theatre, arts, printed media, local school board and TV and radio; i.e. the marketplace.)

I recently moved into this risky place (outside the camp) and agreed to an interview for my local paper. I didn't like the final result at all and now finding myself wishing I had stayed inside the camp (but resolved that I must not.) So I thought I would open up for some thoughts from others with suggestions and thoughts about being a "Roaring Lamb" in the mainstream of our culture.

"It's time for believers to confidently carry their faith with them into the marketplace so that our very culture feels (and hears) the difference." Bob Briner (Added emphasis, because they must hear the gospel for it to be good news.)

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T09:55:00.003-07:00

Dear Utah/Idaho Southern Baptists,

I give thanks to God for the blessed hope we share together in His kingdom. I have lived in Idaho now for nearly 17 years, you've become my family. I thank God for every encounter I have with you. I prayed for you this morning, asking God to give us boldness to proclaim this hope that does not disappoint.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Paul Washer

2008-11-23T22:54:00.006-07:00

Nearly one year ago, while in discussion with a fellow pastor (John Williams, in Monticello, UT) I was encouraged to listen to a sermon by fellow Southern Baptist, Paul Washer. I will warn you in advance that this most recent sermon by Washer is nearly two hours and is a hard (while loving) and yet most needed word for the church. This kind of prophetic word is timely. Please set the time aside to listen and test the word.
Could we be on the horizon of an awakening in our land? There appears to be a movement among us centered upon Christ and Christ alone. (abiding in the River) The 10 indictments that Washer addresses in this message have the potential of making some angry and may well be used of God to cause many to repent. I pray the last. I spent much time in prayer tonight for you Utah/Idaho SBC. This bold message is not very popular, but oh might it be heard by many.
I had asked Paul Washer to speak at our last convention meeting but he was already committed to speak at this (see video) October 22 conference in Atlanta, GA, where he preached this message entitled 10 Indictments.

Quitting Church: Book Review

2008-11-19T13:32:00.003-07:00

Book Review by Paul Thompson:

First of all; this was a disturbing book. I'm not much of a fan of books written by research institutes because I fear the fallout of how their data will influence what the church does. Remember when research data came out and said that church members are only giving their church 1 to 2 hours a week? What did churches start doing in response to that kind of data. We believed it and began dropping our meeting times and days, because a research institute told us that's why attendance was down. Then research institutes are prone to promote a programed agenda (published and sold by them) that will solve the exodus from our churches. We are still fighting our way out of the music wars (maybe they've always been around) in our worship services because research told us that lost people don't like our music (are the people in our churches really opposed to a drum set or guitar, a key-board or organ, with music or without music; or are they mostly told that there is a problem and so they begin believing there is a problem?) What happened to abiding by the River. Isn't that where life abounds?

Second of all; this book was not written by a research institute. Julia Duin (Religion Editor, the Washington Times) sites research institutes (Barna, LifeWay, etc.) and then found that much of the trends that are being discovered by the research institutes are accurate, but mostly because churches (and denominations) are moving farther away from their roots (changing) and becoming less church-like and more nonprofit-like (my words, not Julia Duin's) in our organization.

Is it possible that the growing trend in America of 'Quitting Church' is because the church is not being the church? If you get the chance to read this book, I recommend it. I didn't agree with some of Julia Dain's observations but the overall observation, from a non-research-institute, was insightful.

Does the church even know where the river is anymore?

Where the River Flows, Life Abounds (edited with corrected dates for UISBC Convention)

2008-11-17T09:27:00.009-07:00

Our heritage (SBC) is rich isn't it? Over the past 15 years I've become more and more interested in our history. In my research and discovery I've learned what I've heard many times to be true that we are historically a people of 'the book' (Bible). As a people of the Bible it would seem natural that we would as well be a global mission minded people.

I don't know exactly what a president of a Baptist Convention does (not really what you want to hear, I know). I've decided to do what I think one should do until someone can give better direction. I spent time this morning and I prayed for every church in this Utah/Idaho Convention by name. I appreciate the amazing diversity of our region and the unique ministries of every local church and pastors.

God has allowed me [a second try] to be in the humbling position of the planning of an annual gathering of Baptists. October 27-28, 2009 at Central Valley Baptist Church in Meridian, Idaho, Baptists from the Utah/Idaho Southern Baptist Convention will gather. Will we 'gather' this year or will we 'come together'?

My recent observation of Ezekiel 47:1-12 has captured my attention. This text has some amazing focal points, it is a rich and meaningful text. I've included my (condensed) observation below (personal emphasis added).

9 "It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. Ezek 47:9 (NASB)

I first noticed how much the larger block of text spoke about water/river and the connection to live/grow. Then I began thinking about how this fertile agriculture land of Southern Idaho used to look 100 years ago, before the river [through irrigation] brought life to what was desert. Where the river flows, life abounds (MSG) . This is one thing that shines out of our heritage; were we take Christ (living water) life sprouts where death once was. Dying people don't need a program, they need life. Dying people don't need strategies, they need life. If life is what they need, what will bring it to them? The River.

This observation is really not at all very earth shaking. It is really more like a logical conclusion based on known facts of what the desert land needs to sustain life. Where do we need to take the River that life may abound?

Welcome

2008-11-14T01:02:00.002-07:00

Welcome to Life Abounds. Over the past year (2008) it has been my pleasure to serve as president of the Utah/Idaho Southern Baptist Convention. I look forward to another year (2009) and will listen with great anticipation to all God wants to teach me. The views that are expressed here are simply personal reflections on the satisfaction I have discovered in Christ. I will invite others to submit articles and you are always welcome to comment; either to humbly agree or lovingly disagree. (You should even feel free to offer corrections to my spelling errors and any grammatically incorrect sentence structures you find. And you most likely will find them here.)

It is my hope to post (at least) weekly on one of the following topics (but not only limited to the following topics. You should feel free to suggest topics of interest too) ...

Biblical Doctrines that best define Baptists.
Biblical Preaching.
Evangelism and Discipleship.
Missionary/church planter stories.
Interviews of Baptists in Utah and Idaho.
Informational dates and links of upcoming events in the UISBC.

Does your church have a website? Do you or your pastor have an ongoing blog and want a link for it here? If so, then please post the needed information by commenting below with your website address (please do not post any email addresses).

*about the header photo: The photo was taken at Ross Falls in the South Central Idaho. This region is high mountain desert. Ross Falls is a spring fed water fall, and where the water flows... Life Abounds, even in the desert.