Finding what your looking for....

I've been looking for something for about four weeks now. I have found things that are similar to what I was looking for, but nothing ever seemed to work with those. I sought to buy what I was looking for... but I needed the one I lost to buy more! I looked everywhere I could think of for this item, even places that I knew in my heart that it couldn't be. What was so interesting is that I found lots of what I was looking for, just not what I needed to find.

Ok enough of this..... what I had lost was Mandy's keys to our Suburban. They were found today in a jacket I hadn't worn in the past month.

As I have gone about my week I have been pondering where I misplaced those keys. I found keys that I simply don't know where they go. I even found a brand new key in the parking lot of the church. I mean it still had the tag from Lowe's where it was cut.

What I finally had to do was concentrate. To get my mind off of myself, off of the daily grind, and off of the so called {problem} to think about where I might have left them. As Mandy and I thought back, I realized that we were wearing coats a month ago..... Mandy assured me she had looked in all the coats.

For some reason she decided to go get the coat I was thinking of and brought it into the dinning room. "Is this the coat?" she said. I replied "yep". She looked again and no keys, but I knew something she didn't. I knew this was a reversible coat and it had another complete set of pockets on the other side (the inside) of the coat..... and that's where they were.

Today's lesson... Only you know where all your pockets are.

Special thanks to David Sutherland for working on the sign today. David is our resident computer guru / webmaster and helped me set up a wireless connection from our new sign to my computer!

I'm really upset at the weather! I'm sure to be sick after today.... but I got some yard work done after work.

Since I couldn't take them to the lake today, I'm going to treat the fam to a meal out tonight.

Farewell.... peace be with you! And may the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.

Your Attention Please.... Robbie has left the building!

Hello from WROB! Tomorrow's forecast is "TOO COLD TO GO SKIING!!!!!" I just had to get that off my chest.

Today was a good day. I got to hang out with Drew a little this morning. He loves helping his Daddy with projects around the house and the church. Today we fixed the church alarm system and installed some new halogen lights out at the new sign. I didn't update it today, but tomorrow it will say "It is going to be every Sunday!"

I hope that someone is paying attention to it and is interested enough to come find out what IT is after 2 weeks of this!

A blog shout to Pat and Crystal S. who I've learned today are actually reading this. I had no idea how many folks were into this thing!

Sunday Preview -

1. The Children's Choir will open both am services with some songs they've been working on.
2. The Praise Team will have two new songs for worship at 8:30
3. We will observe The Lord's Supper at both am services.

Ohh and we will have a "Covered Dish Dinner" after the 11:00 service that you don't want to miss!

I think I'm going to take the family to the lake anyway tomorrow when Mandy gets home from school. (about 4:00) You may have noticed the boat hasn't moved since I took it to Lake Greenwood with my buddy Jason. This was the year's first voyage and it ended as quick as it began. The raw water pump is broke and the seals around the rudder and drive shaft were leaking like crazy. Maybe I can take it to the lake and fix those problems tomorrow afternoon.

I heard something pretty cool tonight at church. As I was setting up some sound for the Children's Choir in the Gym, I heard Joey and Mitchel playing some music. What was so cool was Joey was playing the KEYS. Mitchell was playing an acoustic guitar and Joey was playing the keyboard. Our teens have some awesome talent and I'm so glad they are using it for HIM.

Keep Praying.... Keep Singing.... Keep Moving! (towards the SON that is)

Rob

Reading at 45 MPH

How quick do you read at 45 mph? That is the question of the day as I ponder the next message to put on our new $20,000. Sign that now works with no problems!

Yesterday I started a little tease with our community. The sign simply said "It Begins...... Easter Sunday"

It, of course, is our new Children's Program (still being named) that will indeed begin on Easter Sunday Morning. I am so excited about this! Not as a pastor, but mostly as Drew's Daddy! He is going to have so much fun in there!

It also excites me when other folks get excited. The bug is catching, but I want more and more folks to get it.

I'm sending out pleas by email and phone calls today for information for our monthly newsletter. This is sent to almost 300 addresses in our community. This is a great way to get others excited about what God is doing here. Think of this as a tool to communicate with the entire church what your ministry is doing. What your Sunday School Class is involved in. What you need help with. What ever!

We had a great Praise Band Rehearsal last night and we will be using two new songs in Worship this Sunday! Our Children's Choir is also going to be leading us in worship in the 8:30 service, and we are going to be observing the Lord's Supper.

OK got to get back to work!

Email me something for the newsletter or a good message for the sign... robbie@nhbcmauldin.org


It is BIGGER than us!
(sign message for today)

What a Mighty God WE Serve

Can I get a witness out there? Our God is awesome!!! And He showed up and showed out at church today! Willie... man I just can't say enough about you leading our folks to sing that song "Nothing But the Blood" at 8:30 this morning. I've been singing it every since!!! You ministered to me with your talents this morning. And the guitar! I can only imagine what kind of time you spent practicing "LifeSong" to get it down as good as you had it. WOW!!!!

I had fun today! I must admit I do enjoy playing the drums with a good bass player. Terry is holding down the bass via the keyboard until God sends us a Bass Player and/or a drummer. Terry is with out a doubt the most talented yet humble musicians I have ever met. She has spent countless hours working with our praise teams since God led her here a year ago. You'll really get a kick out of this...... after our new members banquet, she said she needed to talk to me after Easter about getting busy in serving Christ at New Hope. She is one of our most active volunteers and wants to do more! God is good!

We also had two new members join this morning. Carrie Barnes and Ellen Cape. Both of these ladies and their kids are coming because Mike Jewell invited them. Mike has just "rejoined" our church after being away for many years! Now who have YOU invited to church lately?

OOOOH and I got to scratch off a TOP FIVE today! You see, I have this top five list that is just between God and I. No one else knows the top five. I don't even write it down or pray about it out loud because I don't want Satan to know what it is! ( praying in the Spirit is how I use a little prayer strategy :} Anyway.... one of my prayers was answered today as one of our guys who has helped with the AV Team came back to work tonight. I've missed you Brad, and I'm going to hold you to everything you said tonight! But God is going to bless man!

Prayer Requests for this week -

• Guidance for me. I don't want to do one thing this week that is not useful to God.
• That Ed Deese, Freya Dudley, and Sara Reynolds all come home from the hospital.
• For our new Children's Ministry. May God bless our efforts to make church the most exciting place a kid can be.
• For our volunteers. This group is growing and I love the opportunity to "share the load"
• That I will be able to go water skiing this week. (and I pray that this in some way be useful to God)
• Mom's going under the knife again! A minor knee surgery this time. Pray that they can fix it easily.
• That we all stay healthy in the pollen season. My throat is tight already.
• #1 Request!!!! That I lead someone to Christ this week!!!

Time to go to bed and prepare for what He has in store for tomorrow.

Whatever it takes,

Rob

What A Week!

I am excited about tomorrows worship services! This has been a hectic week around the Funderburk House with something going on every day and every night this week.
Thursday we had a great time with Pastor Chad, talking over some plans for our 8:30 service and making some prep for our new Children's Programs.
Friday was a lot of fun with the New Members Banquet. The food was awesome, and this was the best presentation we have done so far. Mandy was blown away at the help she had in the kitchen. You guys really made it great! I can't wait to see how God puts all these new faces to work for the kingdom.
Today we had a meeting with Mr Allen and the Student Ministry Leadership team. We began PLACE and studied Spiritual Gifts. After the meeting we practiced some music, set the chairs and made sure everything was ready for tomorrow am.
Tomorrow at 4:00 the church choir is having a special rehearsal for the Easter Musical "At the Name of Jesus" We present that on Easter Sunday Morning!

Probably the thing that I am most excited about tomorrow is our Youth Praise Team. This group has really been through the good and the bad since they started about 1-1/2 years ago. There have been lots of rumors and misunderstandings around what is about to happen with this group..... let me explain.

1 Purpose of the Group - To have our youth leading our youth in worship using the songs and instruments they can play and sing.
2 Goal of the group - To create an atmosphere that they feel comfortable bringing their unchurched friends into in order to lead them to faith in Christ Jesus.

In order to do this we have simply asked that all members be committed. Some have been so very committed as the Runyon twins, Mitchell, and Joey have been there from the beginning. Some have come and gone for various reasons, but the core is still there.

My dream is that this group grows and no longer needs adults to play instruments. I dream of a praise team that is committed to the goal and the purpose. COMMITTED I SAID!

And please don't try and tell me that we are expecting too much of our teens. I believe we don't expect enough of our teenagers! It isn't a matter of talent, but of commitment!

I had a very long conversation with Mitchell on Monday of this week in which I asked him to dispel all the rumors and backbiting with in the teens. I also asked him to meet with all the teens to decide what they wanted to do from here. As long as it accomplishes the Purpose and Goal I mentioned, then I will do "What ever it takes" to make that happen.

Mitchell, I've been praying for you all week, and I know God is going to use this time for His plan and purpose.

I love you all, and can't wait to see you tomorrow!
Rob

Thanks!

Just a word of thanks to Matt Turner and Joey Roach for the help moving the chairs this morning. You guys are sooooo good! Also thanks to Noah and the Boyz from the Hope Co-Op for helping load all those chairs!

I can't wait for our dinner tonight. I think Mandy said we are feeding 38 people! She is freaking a little.... but I know she will have it all together.

I Love My Church

God has given my joy back! Satan has tried to tear me down, but I know who will win the battle (although sometimes I forget to let HIM fight those battles)

I have been so encouraged by so many things this week. I am looking forward to sharing an awesome meal with our newest members at NHBC tomorrow night. Mandy has been hard at work preparing the meal for our First Friends Banquet. She also finished her final exam from this set of classes yesterday, so I get to spend 4 days with my wife with no study time!

By the way, she only has one more 5 week set of classes to go, and these will be the hardest yet.

Alex is still sick, but not anything like she was Saturday Night. Mandy and I are much better!

Thanks for the prayers, keep up the good work!

Help Wanted!

I need some help on Friday AM moving some chairs to a sister church. Greenville Community church was kind enough to loan us chairs to start our 8:30 service in the Gym with. We have since purchased chairs for the Gym and need to return their chairs to them. I need some strong backs to help me from 9-noon this Friday. If you can help send me an email at robbie@nhbcmauldin.org and let me know!

Looking where I'm going, not going where I'm looking

I just had lunch with Pastor Chad, and for all you guys in ministry let me give you some advice that was given to me at North Greenville College (University now) several years ago. When you go out seeking a church to serve in, be careful to pick a Pastor, not a church. It dosen't matter if the building is huge and your office has new furnature, and it dosen't matter if the search committee promises you the world.... pick your Pastor, not your church.

I am so thankful to have a Pastor who is not only MY pastor but who is my boss and my friend. Pastor Chad does such an awesome job being the Pastor to me and my family and the forgiving, understanding, and supportive boss, while being one of my best friends at the same time. Love you man!

That is part of looking where I'm going, instead of going where I'm looking. I'm working hard to stay focused on what God wants me looking toward........ instead of what I want to do.

Pastor Chad gave us an awesome glimpse at the Vision God has given him for NHBC. By-the-way Pastor Chad has installed a new sermon player within our website. You can go there and listen to the sermon yourself! www.nhbcmauldin.org

I have prayed since then that He would give me that same vision, and that I would be most effective in doing what God has called me to do..... to help the Pastor!

SICK and tired

Drew spent the night with Mandy's parents last night and is staying tonight as well. I'm in a mild panic though as Alex has been vomiting and pooping the smelliest stuff in the world since lunch. The doctor said we may have to admit her to the hospital if she dosen't keep some fluids in her./ / that pause was brought to you by yet another shirt and chair getting a dose of sickness. Anyway, Mandy probably wont be at church in the AM and my stomach is cramping like crazy. Media Shout is not playing my DVD like I want it to, and I'm so sleepy I can't keep my eyes open. Other than that, I'm real excited about church in the morning.

Pastor Chad has promised a sermon that will focus us on the important ministries, and lead us to discontinue some things we are doing now. I can't wait to hear what God wants us to do!

If your trying to make up your mind about going to church in the morning, shame on you. If your as sick as me right now..... let's pray we get better overnight!

I've been reading a book titled "The Jesus of Suburbia" I hope to get to the 3/4 point tonight before I go to bed. The book is about the authors feelings that we have made Jesus into what He is today through Pop Culture instead of sticking to the Jesus of the Bible. I totally agree with most of his points so far, but some of it is a little out there.

I'll post again tomorrow night and let you know how it all went. Pastor Chad found a way to post his sermons to the website so that you can download them into itunes or what ever you use to take the sermons with you through the week! Look for that next week.

Night Night
Rob

Web Work

I've spent entirely too much time working on our church web site today. www.nhbcmauldin.org
Go check it out! I've looked at a lot of church web sites and we are finally getting somewhere with ours.

As i'm writing this i am listening to an old Amos and Andy short from the 50's. Funny stuff!

I spent the first half of the day hanging out with Joe Cuyar, worship leader at discover church next door from us. He and I went to NGU together. He taught me a lot about video production and I look forward to trying my hand at this at NHBC.

Night Night!

OH Mom is at home and doing well. Thanks for the prayers!

Rob

What a Day!

I'm about as spiritually full and physically drained as I can be. We took a team of leaders from our 8:30 worship service to New Spring Community Church www.newspring.cc and I have so many thoughts and ideas about how God can use some of the same tactics at New Hope I probably won't be able to sleep tonight. It wasn't until the last song that the band played today that I was truly able to get my mind off of what they were doing and how they were doing it, and just worship my Creator. (ahhhhhhh)

This was one of those days when I know God has a sense of humor. My quiet time this morning was focused on Eph 4: 1-2 "Walk...with all humility." Then I was faced with seeing several of the guys I went to North Greenville U (College) with and had to hold by breath to keep from bragging on what was going on at our church. Not that bragging on God is bad, it just seldom comes out that way. I'm tiring of hearing others opinions on what we should do about different situations. I'm beginning to see that God is doing something with me (bigger picture with our church) that He has never done before and unless I'm seeking His opinion, i'm just frustrating myself and those who listen.

I was finally able to answer the question today "Why am I so frustrated all the time?" The answer is that I can no longer affect change by my self. In a team, the coaches 110% is almost useless in the game unless the players catch the vision and commit themselves 100%. I've preached this sermon before, but today God gave me some peace about it. I have found that He is sending help today! My prayers ARE being heard!!!!!. Crystal (lead singer in our praise team) has committed to helping me, and Eric (one of my best friends and guitar guru) wants to come home from Seminary to help me with the music.

Prayer Requests - Eric needs a job for the summer. I'd love to make him a Music Associate at New Hope. Mom's surgery went well, pray she comes home tomorrow. Pray that Pastor Chad receives a clear vision for every aspect of the ministry of New Hope Baptist, and that he is able to communicate that to me and the church.
That God will give me rest and comfort in my abilities to serve Him.
That my family get to spend quality time with Daddy this weekend.

The beginning of a new era.

For a long time now I have wondered what blogs were all about. Pastor Chad asked me to begin reading the blogs of a couple of pastors in our region and I decided I could use one as well. I hope to be able to pen some of my "Deep Thoughts" (yes from SNL's Jack Handy) here that will give me a vent, an out, and a way to share my thoughts with you.