Through the Lens

Ain't No Grave

2010-05-22T02:37:00.001-07:00

This is the title of a single from Hearstrings. I am blessed to have them as part of my church. For more info on Heartstrings Click Here

Singing Tree

2010-03-22T11:36:00.001-07:00

Cross Marker

2010-02-02T09:17:00.000-08:00

This cross is located at Flay & Shoal crossroads in Lincolnton, NC. It is a memorial for Zion Methodist Church which stood at that location from 1837-1970.

Little Church in the Country

2010-01-19T13:52:00.001-08:00

This is the church that I have been privileged to preach at for the past couple of months. It is a little church in the country. The people there love the Lord and are ready to impact the world with the message of Christ. This photo was shot by one of the members around Christmas.

White as Snow

2009-12-20T12:56:00.000-08:00

Shot this in front of the house after a rare snow.

John 1:7

2009-12-19T10:28:00.000-08:00

I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas. Take time to ponder the meaning of Christmas.

Psalm 1:3

2009-11-05T12:56:00.000-08:00

This tree is located where my wife and I walk. We carried along the camera to attempt to capture some fall colors. Instead this is what I saw through the lens.

2009-08-05T13:08:00.000-07:00

Fruitland Experience

2009-05-15T04:56:00.000-07:00

This is a sod field on Gilliam Rd. For two years on my way to Fruitland I have passed this way and thought that would make a great photo. I could not help but to think of the 23 Psalm. I will miss Fruitland and this awesome view.

Winters Gone!

2009-05-08T09:34:00.000-07:00

This is the last photo from winter. On this outing Tricia fell and messed up her glasses.

This old House

2009-04-14T07:56:00.000-07:00

This is an old building at Cades Cove.

Water Wheel

2009-04-10T05:32:00.000-07:00

Snow Daze

2009-04-08T04:54:00.001-07:00

Tricia took this photo during a snow. We were off of Lake Logan Rd.

Poker

2009-04-07T05:39:00.000-07:00

This is a plant at our house in Lincolnton, NC. It was spring until it started to snow yesterday.

Murray

2009-04-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

Drag strip Fun

2009-03-27T09:48:00.000-07:00

I enjoy spending time at any dragstrip. It is something that my brother rubbed off on me. He is an active racer. The track is usually a good place to enjoy an evening of relatively cheap entertainment and also a great place to share the Gospel!

Here are links to North Carolina's dragstrips.

Farmington Dragway - Located in Farmington this 1/8 mile, concrete, drag strip features IHRA sanctioned Brackets, Cruisers, Grudge and Test and Tune events.

Kinston Dragstrip - Facility contains a 1/8 mile, asphalt, drag strip and a 1/4 mile, asphalt, drag strip. Located in Kingston. Classes run are IHRA ET Brackets and Test and Tune.

Maxton Drag Strip - Located in Maxton. This 1 mile, concrete, drag strip features Roadsters, Turbine, Electric, Coupes, Sedans, Modified Sports, Production, Grand Touring, Trucks, Streets, Motorcycles, and Modified racing events.

Mooresville Dragway - Located in Mooresville this 1/8 mile, asphalt, drag strip features IHRA sanctioned ET Brackets and Test and Tune classes.

New Bern Motorsports - This 1/8 mile, asphalt, drag strip is located in New Bern. Includes message board, photo gallery, track details, rules and news.

Piedmont Dragway - IHRA sanctioned track in Julian. Includes news, schedule, race results, rules, track information and photo gallery.

Roxboro Motorsports Dragway - This IHRA sanctioned, 1/8 mile, asphalt, dragstrip is located in Roxboro. Includes schedule, race results, point standings and photo gallery.

Shadyside Dragway - Located in Boiling Springs, this 1/8 mile, asphalt, drag strip features ET Brackets racing events. Includes photos, race results and point standings.

Wilkesboro Raceway Park - Located in Wilkesboro. Classes include Top Sportsman, Foot Brake, Street and Test and Tune Grudge racing. Includes race results, schedule and point standings.

Flash from the Past

2009-03-24T13:59:00.001-07:00

Here is an old flash bar from a Polaroid camera. Sadly this was found on the summit of Waterrock Knob. Photographers should do their part to keep these areas pristine. Below are some rules for the trails found on the web.

Travel responsibly on designated roads and trails or in permitted areas.

Stay on the trail even if it is rough and muddy. Walking on the track edge and cutting switchbacks increase damage and cause erosion and visual scarring.
Walk single file to avoid widening the trail.
If there are no trails, and hiking is permited, spread out in open country. Spreading out, rather than following each other’s footsteps, disperses impact and avoids creating a new trail.
Flagging and marking trails is unsightly. If flagging is necessary, remove flags as you leave.
Comply with all signs and barriers.
Buddy up with two or three hikers. Traveling solo can leave you vulnerable if you have an accident.

Respect the rights of others including private property owners and all recreational trail users, campers and others to allow them to enjoy their recreational activities undisturbed.

Be considerate of others on the road or trail.
Leave gates as you find them.
If crossing private property, be sure to ask permission from the landowner(s).
Keep the noise down.
Be especially cautious around horses, bikes and motorized vehicles. Stay to the right of the trail and let them pass.

Educate yourself by obtaining travel maps and regulations from public agencies, planning for your trip, taking recreation skills classes, and knowing how to use and operate your equipment safely.

Obtain a map of your destination and determine which areas are open to your type of travel.
Make a realistic plan, and stick to it. Always tell someone of your travel plans.
Contact the land manager for area restrictions, closures, and permit requirements.
Check the weather forecast for your destination. Plan clothing, equipment, and supplies accordingly.
Carry a compass or a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit and know how to use them.
Carry water and emergency supplies even on short hikes.
Choose appropriate footwear for the terrain. Solid, lightweight walking boots are best. Sandals can be used on trail in summer and around your campsite.
Dress in layers and always carry a jacket. Weather conditions can change unexpectedly.
Your pack weight should not exceed 1/3 of your body weight.

Avoid sensitive areas such as meadows, lakeshores, wetlands and streams, unless on designated routes. This protects wildlife habitat and sensitive soils from damage.

Other sensitive habitats to avoid unless on designated routes include cryptobiotic soils of the desert, tundra, and seasonal nesting or breeding areas.
Avoid disturbing historical, archeological, and paleontological sites.
Avoid “spooking” livestock and wildlife you encounter and keep your distance.
Motorized and mechanized vehicles are not allowed in areas designated Wilderness.

Do your part by leaving the area better than you found it, properly disposing of waste, minimizing the use of fire, avoiding the spread of invasive species, restoring degraded areas, and joining a local enthusiast organization.

Carry a trash bag and pick up litter left by others.
Pack out what you pack in.
Repackage snacks and food in baggies. This reduces weight and amount of trash to carry out.
In areas without toilets, use a portable latrine if possible and pack out your waste, otherwise it’s necessary to bury your waste. Human waste should be disposed of in a shallow hole (6”-8” deep) at least 200 feet from water sources, campsites, or trails. Cover and disguise the hole with natural materials. It is recommended to pack out your toilet paper. High use areas may have other restrictions so check with a land manager.
Following a hike, wash your gear and support vehicle to reduce the spread of invasive species.

Wedding

2009-03-17T05:36:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I was honored to attend a friend's wedding. I stand in awe of God every time I see a wedding. I also remember the vows I made with my own wife.

Church in the Vale

2009-03-10T04:57:00.001-07:00

This is a little church that we found out in the country. I thank God for small churches and their pastors.

View Maggie Valley

2009-03-05T05:31:00.000-08:00

Just a photo of us at an overlook on the Parkway.

Set upon a Rock

2009-03-04T08:54:00.000-08:00

Snow Adventure

2009-03-03T17:56:00.000-08:00

After the recent snow we headed out looking for some snow scenery. We didn't get a whole lot of snow in Balsam. We headed south on 276 and then ended up on Lake Logan Road. After we passed Sunburst the road got treacherous. We put the Explorer in four wheel drive and plowed forward. The road was getting worse and I could not find a place to turn around. We came across these frozen cascades which make a pretty good photo. I hope to return to Logan Lake Road when there is not a foot of snow on the road.

Living Water

2009-03-02T16:35:00.000-08:00

Weeds?

2009-02-27T10:43:00.000-08:00

At The Cross

2009-02-22T14:21:00.000-08:00

This cross is at the peak of Mt. Lyn Lowry. I can see it out of a window where we are living. At night it is illuminated so those who are in the nearby communities of Hazelwood, Waynesville, and Balsam can see it. It is also visible from hwy. 74 and many other roads bearing witness to many visitors of the mountains. We hiked for three and a half hours to reach it, but once we got there the scenery was breath taking. I feel blessed to be so close to this landmark while studying for the ministry. It is a constant reminder of what the ministry is all about.

Proud as a Peacock

2009-02-19T05:07:00.001-08:00

This nice bird struck a pose for me at the Yellow River Game Ranch. The ranch is located close to Atlanta, GA.

Night Sky

2009-02-17T07:56:00.001-08:00

This was shot late at night on Waterrock Knob. It is a nice place to observe the stars and spend time with your sweetheart.

At the Dock

2009-02-14T13:11:00.003-08:00

This photo was taken in 2002 at Holden Beach, NC. I spent a lot of time there as a teenage with my grandparents. I remember spending time fishing, and just sitting and admiring the scenery.

God's Sovereignty

2009-02-10T05:36:00.000-08:00

"Whatever the LORD pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places. He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries." Psalm 135:6-7

This was posted on one of my favorite blogs. Feel free to visit it at http://fishwithtrish.blogspot.com

Country Vista

2009-02-04T16:59:00.000-08:00

These country shots were captured off of Upper Crabtree Rd. Clyde, NC. It was a rough day to be out due to snow covered roads.

Country Barn

2009-01-27T09:15:00.000-08:00

This is a barn off of Hwy 209 outside of Sylva, NC. I shot it during a snow storm a little while back but I finally got a nice blue sky as a backdrop.

Have a seat

2009-01-22T08:33:00.000-08:00

Tricia and I finally got out of the house after the snow. We found a small chapel at the junction of Hwy. 63 & 209. This a view of the inside at the small pews. It was a great little place to stop and pray.

2009-01-16T09:04:00.001-08:00

This photo looks so warm on this day when it is 7 degrees.

2009-01-13T09:41:00.000-08:00

This is a shot I snapped with my father in law. He loves trains! This was a cold, overcast day.

Yum Yum

2009-01-09T08:59:00.000-08:00

I think this deer is making fun of me.

Sunbeams

2008-12-21T09:41:00.000-08:00

Caught this neat sunbeam while riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

It's About the Cross

2008-12-20T08:26:00.001-08:00

This video sets things right about Christmas. We spend way too much time turning Christmas into something it is not. We are robbing Christ from the glory that belongs to him alone. Santa never died for anyone's sins. Praise God for the Savior!

Liquid Color

2008-12-20T08:09:00.000-08:00

This was shot in the parking lot of Antioch Baptist Church during a snow. This is the result of snow melting in a puddle of oil that dripped from a car.

Study the Word

2008-12-19T08:53:00.000-08:00

I love to study the Bible. I also like my hat. I shot this on my in laws dinning room table.

Country Snow

2008-12-18T15:50:00.000-08:00

This was shot on Hwy 209. There was no place to pull off of the road so I turned on the hazard lights and shot this from the middle of the road.

Looking Back - Looking Forward

2008-11-18T05:40:00.000-08:00

Some days in the Lord’s work tend to stand out among others. Today was one of those days. Today I caught a small glimpse of the mighty hand of God at work in a church and a people. As I sat in a church building that had been vacant for months and looked around at the crowd of hundreds I could not help but to reflect what had took place in the last year at the church we call home. I recall pulling up that Sunday morning at church and seeing the long look on the preacher’s wife’s face. The look that something bad was about to take place. When I saw him my bad feelings were intensified as he avoided talking with me. That was the morning that my friend and preacher resigned and announced that he was moving on. The months following were full of many tough times. Tricia and I are only home every other week. It seemed like every time we would return one or two families would be gone. These were people who we loved and called our friends, but yet they would be gone without even saying goodbye. I know it is hard to move from a church, but is it that hard to say goodbye. For months we prayed that God would allow us to leave this body of believers. It was so discouraging to see a church slowly dying. It absolutely broke my heart to see such a beautiful sanctuary not being used due to the lack of people. What once was a small chapel off from the main sanctuary now served as our meeting place. To add to the discouragement was acres of land, an academy building, and gymnasium all sitting idle. Tricia and I would spend spring evening s walking around the grave yard at the back of the property praying that God would heal our church or completely kill it so that those families that were holding on would be released from the pain of seeing a church die. What I did not realize was God was doing a work that only He could do. It seemed that God was absolutely breaking our church. Breaking us from pride, self sufficiency, and perhaps even some arrogance. This body of believers was and is still on the potter’s wheel being molded into something He can use. It would appear that in the molding process that some of the clay either fell of the wheel, leaving the church or they chose to be on a different wheel by joining a different body of believers. I can say that I really don’t blame them because God was pressing this clay very hard.
As weeks passed I could see people trusting God and truly praying for His will to be done, no matter how bad it may hurt. It seemed like the passage from 2 Chronicles kept coming to mind during those dark days. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. God truly had put our church on its knees praying and seeking his face. I remember attending a Sunday morning service in which there were appox. ten to twenty people present. I recall our piano player, April Dean playing that piano like they were 10,000 in attendance. The Music minister, Jamie Hagar sang to an audience on one, the Heavenly Father and we were blessed enough to hear his heart’s song. I know without a doubt that God purposely placed April in our midst during this dark time. When she plays the world stops to listen. It is as if the Holy Spirit is speaking through those notes to bring a time of rejoicing and a time of praise. When she would play people were not thinking about the small number in attendance. Nor were they thinking that we didn’t have a pastor. The only thing that was on my mind is what an awesome God we all serve. I thank God for giving people like April and Jamie talents to share with us.
After months of being on this wheel being crushed, God started reworking the clay by adding some more ingredients. He allowed us to cross paths with Hulls Grove and Pastor Harvey Gates. Pastor Gates brought with him a love for this body of believers who was now broken. God was orchestrating the “healing of the land” now. It was announced that Hulls Grove Baptist and New Life Baptist Church would merge as one entity. New Life would be Hulls Grove North in reference to our location in the county. I could see that this was a answer to prayer and was praising God for what He was going to do which led to today’s events.
Waking up this morning there was a charge in the air. I know that this was going to be a great day in the Lord. New Life would be hosting a Fall Festival and would officially become Hulls Gove North this evening. As we arrived at church this morning it was a blessing to see so many people sitting in the main sanctuary. We were finally out of the small chapel. Pastor Harvey preached a sermon from Ephesians 4. The message was about unity and defeating pride. When we arrived back from a quick visit to our home we saw a parking lot full of cars. We were blessed to see hundreds if not a thousand people on the church grounds. We grabbed out tracts and went to meet our neighbors from the community. I froze in the middle of the parking lot and prayed a prayer thanking God for healing our church and for the event that was taking place. After praying that prayer to myself I began to just look around and took the moment in. To the left was a drag car revving up its engine drawing a small crowd of racing enthusiasts. To the right of the race car was the Cowboy Church’s horseshoe ministry stamping the visitor’s names in horseshoes. Right being that was a motorcycle ministry showing off some very nice motorcycles. Beside of the bikes were several inflatable slides and other things for the children. In front of the gym a skateboard ministry had set up their ramps and where showing off their smooth moves. Moving on past the skaters was a station for a train ride which was a huge hit for the young ones. Next was horse carriage rides which went around the property. In the background I could hear a band playing their hearts out for the Lord. After soaking in all the sights I began to pass out tracts to everyone who would take one. My heart was blessed to see so many people.
After another quick home we return for what would be the last service of New Life Baptist. When we walked into the building I could feel the excitement. We were instructed to sit on the right side of the sanctuary and Hulls Grove sat on the left side and in the middle. The music concert was totally amazing. After the legal stuff took place we were instructed by Pastor Redding to find someone we did not know to sit with. We sat with a man named Jesse, who was very nice. Song after song was sang and God was glorified not the people or the body of believers but all mighty God was exalted. To close the service we grabbed the hand of the person beside of and sang “How Great Is Our God” followed by a prayer.
I can’t wait to see what God is going to do at the North Campus. I feel blessed to experience an awesome day like today. I pray that this only the beginning of a great movement of God. A movement this will reach out to a lost and dying world and tell them about Jesus.

Awesome Prayer

2008-10-23T08:35:00.000-07:00

I borrowed this prayer from Pipers Blog . It is awesome.

Gracious and glorious Father,
because you are rich in mercy,
and great in love,
and sovereign in grace,
we ask that you would make this little book
a window onto the panorama of your glory,
and a skylight to your supremacy in all things.

By the truth-loving power of your Holy Spirit
grant that the glass pane would be clean—
that what is faithful to your word would be confirmed,
and what is not would be forgiven, not confusing.
We ask that your cloud-banishing illumination
would be given to our minds,
and that spiritual understanding would fill our hearts,
and that according to the command of your apostle,
we would grow in the grace and knowledge
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

May we see the spectacular sins of the world
as horrible as they are.
And may we see the holiness of God
as pure as it is.
And may we see the rule of God over the sin of man
as righteous as it is.
And thus grant the steel of ultimate reality
to strengthen the spine of our faith,
and sweeten our lips for the bruised heart.

Put the ballast of biblical truth
in the belly of our little boats,
lest the crashing waves of calamity
in these changing times
cause us to capsize in the sea of trouble.

And according to your apostle’s warning,
forbid that the increase of our knowledge
would cause the increase of our pride.
Rather, O God of infinite wisdom,
reveal, with all our understanding,
the unfathomable sinfulness of our hearts without Christ,
and the infinitesimal smallness of our strength
in comparison to yours,
and the absolute dependence of our life on you,
and the unfathomable depths of your judgments,
and how dim is the mirror in which we see.

Grant to our minds and hearts
new and deeper capacities to see and savor
the glories of Jesus Christ.
With every new glimpse of his glory in your word,
let there awaken new affections in our hearts.
Ignite our souls to treasure Christ in a way that
destroys our sinful lusts
and delights the deepest recesses of our being
and displays his truth and beauty
to a world that does not know
that this is what it needs more than anything.
And from this all-satisfying treasuring of Christ
may there flow a liberation from selfishness,
and a triumph over bitterness and anger,
and a freedom from worry and fear,
and victory over depression and discouragement,
and the severing of every root of sensual lust.

All this freedom, Lord, we seek for the sake of love.
Grant that our contentment in Christ would be a
dissatisfied contentment,
eager to expand by including others.
Grant that the joy of the Lord would not be a solitary joy,
but the strength to sacrifice
for the good of others,
even those who hate us.
May brokenhearted boldness
and contrite courage
attend all our deeds of compassion
and all our commendations of Christ to a lost world.
Awaken in us tender affections
for those who hurt,
and self-forgetful attentiveness
for those in our presence.

And in this treasuring of Christ for his supreme glory
and this overflowing love for others,
may Jesus be exalted above all things—
honored, admired, adored, esteemed, enjoyed,
praised, extolled, thanked, and worshiped.
May our light shine in this world
so that people see you in our sacrificial deeds of love
and our uncompromising words of truth
and give glory to your hallowed name,
Father.

Through Jesus Christ,
your Son,
Amen.

A Teacher and a Tract

2008-09-03T12:26:00.000-07:00

Mary was in trouble. For years she had left gospel tracts on her desk for the students in the algebra class she taught. A lawyer on the school board had vowed to have her fired because of her overt Christian witness, and when he was elected president of the school board, he made good on his threat.
Fighting her dismissal, Mary finally got her job back after six months. In a strange turn of events, she discovered that the board members who had lobbied for her dismissal were themselves guilty of certain misdeeds, and they were in turn dismissed from the board--including the hostile lawyer. Again he vowed that he would one day ruin her and that his children would never be allowed in her classes.
Months later Mary attended the funeral of a student at the school. She arrived late and was seated next to. . .the irate lawyer! Though uncomfortable, Mary felt compelled to hand the lawyer one of the tracts she always had in her purse. The only one she had was written by a Christian lawyer.
Time passed, and at the beginning of a new semester the lawyer's daughter was assigned to Mary's algebra class. Mary told her that she should be assigned to another teacher, in keeping with her father's wishes. Smiling from ear to ear, the lawyer's daughter said that would not be necessary, for her father had accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior because of Mary's faithful witness and because of the tract that she had handed him that day at the funeral!

Source Unknown

Almost Arrested

2008-09-02T05:52:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday at the Hendersonville Apple Festival we were almost arrested for passing out gospel tracts. We have been involved in our festival ministry for three years. This is the first time that we have had any problems. The day started out wonderful. We got the chance to meet and talk to many of the fine people of Henderson County. We were having a great time and enjoying ourselves when a festival official ran up to us and demanded that we stop passing out tracts. He appeared to be mad for some reason. Then he ran to a police officer and started complaining. I was told that I was in violation of a city ordinance and would be arrested if I continued. Not being sure of the law we stopped and left the festival. What a sad day! Needless to say, from now on we will be checking with local officials to see if we need a permit. Next year in Hendersonville we will return with permits in hand and with around a hundred friends to assist us. We will count this all joy and regroup and do it again soon. Please pray for us as we continue to reach the lost. Please pray for us. This is the first time that we have run into this kind of thing. Can they make us stop?

GNN

2007-01-27T12:31:00.001-08:00

Something to think about!

www.myspace.com/steveismyfriend

2006-01-30T13:54:00.000-08:00

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=21164015

Wednesday Night Study or Sermon on Conflict

2004-05-18T11:05:00.000-07:00

Have you ever thought about how things spread?
Tricia and I have been on the Atkins Diet since last August. I am amazed at all of the controversy over this diet. It seems that everyone has heard of this diet in some form or fashion and many have tried it. I’m curious how it started. How did they market it? What did they do that caused it to sweep across the nation? Has anyone here not heard of the Atkins diet?
How about “The Passion”? Has anyone not heard of “The Passion” movie? It has been in the news for months. It has taken in $577 million worldwide and is still climbing. The DVD is scheduled to come out in August and that will probably sent it towards a billion dollars. Everyone is talking about it. How does everyone know about it? What was the key marketing idea that made it a success?
Many of us have been affected by the thousands of computer viruses that have been developed. We have software to protect us from them, but still each day thousands of computers become infected with a new virus that spreads like wildfire across the world in literally seconds.
Maybe that’s why I’m so fascinated by Acts because it talks about the spread of the gospel “the good news about Jesus” which is what consumed the followers of Jesus. They were completely consumed by it if you remember the conclusion of Chapter 5 “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ”
I receive a Pastor’s newsletter online every month online. Recently I received one that was about church growth. I got to looking at it and became concerned because of the arrogant way things were presented and the formulas presented for success. Not to mention the high price tag placed on “These words of Wisdom”. It is dangerous to judge the effectiveness of a ministry based on numbers viewed from the outside. It can create a tremendous trap for the pastor to run after man-made solutions that promise a 1-2-3 magic solution for church growth and perceived success.
That’s why I would much rather study the book of ACTS than to buy these words of wisdom from someone trying to make a buck. I believe the book of ACTS was written by Luke to inspire us about the power of the gospel and about the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in each one of us who have accepted Christ. I think it’s difficult to look at ACTS and not be encouraged and excited about the fact that you & I are also involved in this move of the gospel. If we have believed in Jesus we too are empowered by the Holy Spirit to accomplish much in God’s kingdom. But there will be problems. Luke doesn’t skip over the fact the early church had problems.
It reminds me of the stages of a relationship marriage. > Honeymoon… > Reality…
The early church experienced this. They exploded on the scene and everything was wonderful. But then they started facing some problems. I believe this is the part to get excited about.
1. Honeymoon stage (nobody stays here long) You remember when you first got married how you went out introducing your wife or husband to everyone you came in contact with. It was so new and exciting! Do you remember when you became a Christian how you invited everyone you knew to come and see you get baptized and to come to come to church with you.
a. Powerful move of the Spirit at Pentecost > 3000 believers > 2:41
b. Everyone loved, cared, shared for each other, signs, wonders > more added to their number > 2:47
c. Healing of lame man > increase to 5000 men > 4:4
2. Realistic stage (this is where we live)
a. Physically Seized & Threatened - Arrested > prayed for boldness
b. Lies - Sin in the camp; deceit > STILL more and more people were added to their number 5:14
c. Physically Beaten – Persecution > flogging > they rejoiced.
The realistic stage is what I get excited about because anyone can do the honeymoon. It’s a piece of cake there. But, we spend a lot of our time in the trenches and ACTS gives encouraging stories and practical application for the trenches we find ourselves in today. The problems seem to be increasing and in Acts chapter 6, which is our text today, we see yet another real-world problem facing the early church. Let’s read verses 1-6
1In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
5This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
Does anyone recognize what is going on here? Of course you do! There were disagreements; unfairness, probably fights. Satan is employing one of his sneakiest and, I would say, most successful, attempts to derail the church; to stop it from growing. You’ve heard the saying that whenever two or more are gathered together >> there’s trouble? Maybe I misquoted that, but it’s true. You’ve seen it in your own family either growing up or raising your own. As people get added to the family more and more conflict happens. Some days it feels like all you get accomplished is resolving conflicts and disagreements in your family. Conflict was happening in the early church and I’m sure this incident was only one Luke listed of many that were happening.
Where you have people, you will have conflict. You have conflict with the 3-5 people in your family or the 70-80 in our church. Try 10,000 believers. There was some real potential for conflict. All of these believers were Jewish at this time, but there were some distinct cultural differences between these Jewish believers. Some appear to have been raised in a Greek culture while others were native to Jerusalem.
The real question that needs answered is what do you do when conflict occurs in the church? You always have several options:
(1) Ignore it – This does not seem to work that good. We can choose to ignore it but it will just switch gears and move to another group in the church and will show it’s head again in the future. Tempting, but not wise.
(2) Confront it – How do we confront conflict. Many time the wrong way! The Bible says in:
Mat 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Mat 18:16 But if he will not hear [thee, then] take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Mat 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell [it] unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
Does this happen. Most of the time when people have a gripe with someone they run and tell everyone but the person involved which causes more problems.

(3) In the story here they chose to delegated it.

Now here is the biggest question of this whole passage. Why did they ask for this to be delegated to others? Let’s pick up in verse 2:
2So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
Why did they delegate this? Was it beneath them to wait on tables? We know better then that. These men learned from Jesus what it meant to be a servant. This was not beneath them. Were they lazy; trying to shirk their responsibility? Were they afraid of conflict; not wanting to get involved? NO. The truth is they recognized the ploy satan was bringing against the church. They knew what their job description was; prayer and the ministry of the word.
I remember when we were searching for a Pastor and we came up with all of these responsibilities and duties of the Pastor and also the Youth Pastor then I got an email which read
Pastor Search Committee Report

In our search for a suitable pastor, the following scratch sheet was developed for your perusal. Of the candidates investigated by the committee, only one was found to have the necessary qualities. The list contains the names of the candidates and comments on each, should you be interested in investigating them further for future pastoral placements.
• Noah: He has 120 years of preaching experience, but no converts.
• Moses: He stutters; and his former congregation says he loses his temper over trivial things.
• Abraham: He took off to Egypt during hard times. We heard that he got into trouble with the authorities and then tried to lie his way out.
• David: He is an unacceptable moral character. He might have been considered for minister of music had he not 'fallen.'
• Solomon: He has a reputation for wisdom but fails to practice what he preaches.
• Elijah: He proved to be inconsistent, and is known to fold under pressure.
• Hosea: His family life is in a shambles. Divorced, and remarried to a prostitute.
• Jeremiah: He is too emotional, alarmist; some say a real 'pain in the neck.'
• Amos: Comes from a farming background. Better off picking figs.
• John: He says he is a Baptist but lacks tact and dresses like a hippie. Would not feel comfortable at a church potluck supper.
• Peter: Has a bad temper, and was heard to have even denied Christ publicly.
• Paul: We found him to lack tact. He is too harsh, His appearance is contemptible, and he preaches far too long.
• Timothy: He has potential, but is much too young for the position.
• Jesus: He tends to offend church members with his preaching, especially Bible scholars. He is also too controversial. He even offended the search committee with his pointed questions.
And, our choice is:
• Judas: He seemed to be very practical, co-operative, good with money, cares for the poor, and dresses well. We all agreed that he is just the man we are looking for to fill the vacancy as our Senior Pastor.

• Unfortunately Judas has turned us down and we are taking Rev. GW Horne as our Pastor because he promised to be in prayer and seek the Holy Sprits direction for our church.
Thank you for all you have done in assisting us with our pastoral search.
Sincerely,
The Pastoral Search Committee.
A pastors primary responsibility is to prayer and to minister the word of God. Are there many other things to get done? YES. Are they as important as attention to prayer and to the study and preaching and teaching of God’s word? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
I mentioned earlier that I believe Satan is employing one of his sneakiest and most successful attempts to derail the church; to stop it from growing. Is it conflict? No. It’s distraction. Conflict is only one of many things that Satan will use to distract us. Many of us have seen how conflict in the church can suck huge amounts of energy and time. It can drain the life and energy of a church. It can bring the ministry to a standstill. How is it that a slender bull-fighter can stand up to a 2000 lb bull? With a simple fluttering of a red cape, always sending it’s energy in the wrong direction; close enough to look correct, but off the mark. Satan loves to consume our time with trivial things and he is very good at it. Did the apostles just neatly sidestep the problem? No. They commissioned seven men chosen by the people who were not only spiritually strong, but also were very wise. These men were very capable of resolving the issue and so it was delegated to them, freeing the apostles to continue the very important work of prayer and the ministry of the word. In fact we see later in this chapter that Stephen was so wise that those he debated with became very frustrated because they couldn’t stand up to him.
The church is past the honeymoon stage and entering the realistic stage.
Satan tried to scare the church with threats >> Then he tried to weaken it with sin >> Then he tried to beat it up with whips >> and now he tries to distract it with conflict.
BUT INSTEAD WHAT HAPPENED >> pickup in verse 7.
7So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
The church was tested once again and it passed the test. I have to wonder what would have happened if the apostles had decided to tackle this problem on their own.
1. They may not have been even qualified to resolve the issue. It’s possible and likely that the men chosen were more qualified then the apostles to resolve these issues.
2. Leave out verse 7. There were many issues that I’m sure began to crowd the elders meeting agendas for the apostles. I’m assuming the church was over 10,000 people at this time. If the apostles had started to focus on all the administrative tasks and issues rising in the church, the study, preaching, & teaching of God’s word would have been diminished and the number of disciples would have either slowed or stopped.

The word of God is unstoppable!!! The good news about Jesus is unstoppable!!! That’s what we learn from verse 7; not just verse 7, but that has been a theme all through the book of Acts. The good news of the gospel is unstoppable!!! I find that tremendously exciting, thrilling, exhilarating! Here is something that cannot be stopped! It is powerful and effective! Just the name of Jesus can bring miraculous healing and transformation. The Holy Spirit who lives inside each of you who believe is unstoppable! He is all powerful! We have studied and read about the miracles, signs, and wonders. Do you think anything can stop the ministry of the word through the power of the Holy Spirit! ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!! NOTHING CAN STOP IT!!!!! We are part of a kingdom that cannot be shaken; a kingdom that cannot be stopped; we have access to power that cannot be matched by any person, nation, or power. Be encouraged!!!!
But we are also in a war zone. If you are an active believer, you are in a war zone. The more active you are, the closer you get to the front lines.
Satan will try to intimidate us. He will try to discourage us. He will try to take us out of the race with sin. If we continue to persist, he will threaten us. He will try to distract us with many other things. In the next chapter of Acts we will see that he ups the ante even more. He will try to kill us.
Be confident in the power of the Holy Spirit and the word of God. Be like the believers we read about here. “Never stop proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the way”
I am confident in the proclaiming of the word of God through the power of the Holy Spirit! If we are faithful in this task of taking every opportunity to share the good news of Jesus Christ, many will come to know him as a result and you and I will continue to be witnesses to it’s transforming power!