Friday, November 29, 2013

Run At Your Own Pace


Earlier this year I ran in the Patriot Challenge Race.  This race is dedicated to honoring America's heroes, our military, the police, firemen, all first responders and especially the heroes of 9-11.  All proceeds were donated to the Wish For Our Heroes organization.

There were many obstacles, each designed to be challenging.  I had to CRAWL, CLIMB, SLIDE and SPLASH through this rigorous course.

I was the oldest of our group and probably the most out of shape! (Actually, the most out of shape!)  When we started the race, I was able to keep up with the group until we reached "Capitol Hill"...where I had to climb on my hands and knees up a steep hill.  I quickly fell to the back of the pack and struggled to breathe as I finally reached the summit. Fortunately, my team didn't give up on me and were cheering me on as I crest the top of the hill gasping for air. 

With everything in me, I wanted to say, "ya'll just go ahead and I'll catch up."  However, they wouldn't leave my side...and their strength, stamina and support made me reach down within my core and find an extra burst of energy to keep on going.

After that first obstacle, I was able to get my bearings and find my own pace in the race.

There's an interesting story in Genesis 33 about Jacob and Esau that illustrates finding your own pace.

Jacob had an encounter with his brother, Esau, after they had been separated over an extended period of time.  Their relationship had been a strained one, and Jacob's discomfort in this relationship is evident.

(Genesis 33:12-14 NLT) "Well, let's be going," Esau said. "I will stay with you and lead the way." But Jacob replied, "You can see, my lord, that some of the children are very young, and the flocks and herds have their young, too.  If they are driven too hard, they may die.  So go on ahead of us.  We will follow at our own pace and meet you at Seir."

Esau wanted to travel side-by-side with Jacob.  However, Jacob knew the strength and stamina of his people and didn't feel obligated to "keep up" with Esau.  He knew that he had to do what was best for those under his care and supervision.  He had a responsibility toward his children and toward the young in his flock.

As a good "pastor" and father, Jacob knew he couldn't drive his flock and his children just to keep up with the expectations of Esau. Jacob wasn't given over to comparison and competitiveness to dictate the way he discharged his responsibilities as a leader.

Who is setting the pace for you?  Do you feel compelled to "keep up" with another ministry, pastor, etc.?  Don't be tempted to yield to that pressure.

We must lead within the scope of our own abilities.  Peter said to the lame man at the Beautiful Gate, "...such as I have give I thee" (Acts 3:6).  You can only give what you have.

Each of us have a unique calling, a unique set of gifts and a unique assignment from God. We will always be able to replicate principle but we must deliver our gifts through our own set of skills and abilities.

Running at your own pace is more enjoyable when you RECOGNIZE YOUR OWN LIMITS.  God hasn't called you to be T.D. Jakes, Rick Warren or Joel Osteen.  He has called you to be you!  We give honor to others in the body of Christ who minister and we learn incredible principles from their ministries that help us carry out our own Kingdom assignment. However, we must run our own race at our own pace.

God has called you to serve Him, and as you seek Him, He will give you the wisdom to set the RIGHT PACE for your ministry.  The pace He sets for you will not only be best for you, but it will also be what's best for all those on your team.

Run your own RACE at your own PACE!


LR - Brian Murphy, Tristan Colgrove, Cameron Woolf,
Russell Hylton, Nate Canales, Cross Colgrove


Thursday, November 28, 2013

Go Ahead & Laugh!

Go ahead and LAUGH!  The Bible says, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." (Proverbs 17:22)

We all know people who are always down in the mouth, negative, critical and marinating in venom.  It seems they're always griping about something.

Life isn't always easy, kind or fair but HAPPINESS is a disposition we choose.  We choose to be HAPPY WHEREVER we are and in WHATEVER we're doing.  

I've found in my own life, if I'm FOCUSED on what God has called me to do, I won't have any extra ENERGY meddling in the lives of others.  Some people aren't happy with themselves, therefore they consume their time discrediting others. If they were truly content where they were and in their own assignment they would be so focused on what they're doing for Jesus they wouldn't have time to be discontent with themselves or others.

Solomon says, "a crushed spirit dries up the bones."  When I read this passage it reminds me of the 2009 movie "UP" where Carl Fredricksen stops living due to the death of his wife.  He goes into hiding, whittling away his days until he can no longer escape the changing world around him. 

In a lot of ways, we're like Carl.  We will all be disappointed by something.  In fact, there's not a day that goes by that you won't eventually be disappointed.  Perhaps it's a lack of employment, a sour relationship, financial hardship, etc.  We are all going to face disappointment...however THROUGH JESUS there is HOPE!

People may fail us...but Jesus never will.  Our hearts will only ever be satisfied by God's perfect, selfless love.  God knew we could never experience His love while sin was separating us, so He sent Jesus to earth to pay for our sin and created a way for us to enjoy relationship with Him.

KNOWING Jesus and EXPERIENCING His love brings LASTING FULFILLMENT, JOY and PEACE!  It's the PERFECT LOVE of God that holds us steady and reminds us of God's ALL-POWERFUL and ALL-KNOWING power that always has our best in mind!

God will never LEAVE us or ABANDON us!  Knowing this...enables me to approach each day with confidence because HIS LOVE NEVER FAILS!

When we understand God's CHARACTER and TRUST Him with our lives, we find that we can experience JOY and THANKSGIVING even in the toughest of times!  Our circumstances are not always easy, but our RESPONSE to those circumstances is marked by the INNER JOY that comes from knowing JESUS!

Like good medicine, JOY heals the soul!

Today, go ahead and LAUGH!  Jesus is your JOY!

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Coffee Isn't Enough

There are many factors that attribute to church growth.  I believe RELATIONSHIPS are probably one of the most foundational reasons we've experienced growth.  

There must be intentionality to what we do as a church each week, if we hope to see people coming back each week.  Relationships have to start in the parking lotlead to the lobby, connections cafĂ© and the Worship Center. Our members should be shaking hands, hugging and just talking with people.

Coffee and doughnuts aren't enough to retain new members.  Churches are constantly looking for ways to “close the backdoor” and create an atmosphere where families, singles, etc., will want to come back! 

We use connection cards to gather pertinent information of each person.  Our goal is to do intentional follow-up with each person/family by Monday of each week.  We’re bombarding people will emails, text messages, phone calls, etc.  But honestly…when it really comes down to it, the top reason people come and stay is because of FRIENDSHIPS!

Friends Invite Friends
Regardless of what happens at the church with staff changes or whatever, people keep coming back because of the relationships they have with each other.

This is where we are constantly being challenged!  With growth, it remains an increased challenge to make sure people get CONNECTED to other people, whether that’s through small groups, volunteerism, Bible studies or whatever.

Starting Point Lunch
Every quarter, we have a starting point luncheon immediately after our morning service for new or unconnected people.  We have a catered meal, and Beverly and I are able to share for a few minutes about the church’s history and future.  We give people an opportunity to tell what brought them to BFWC and what made them stay. 

It’s very INSPIRING to watch people declare what makes them want to belong to BFWC.  We hear words like “friendly” and “real” and “I feel like family here.”

Approachable
It’s important for us to be available in the lobby after each service.  It does make us vulnerable – because you never know what someone will say to you or if they might cling to you.  But it’s POWERFUL to be there to make that CONNECTION!  

Jesus was approachable!  At the end of the day…we’re all doing what we’re doing because we’re trying to CONNECT people to CHRIST!

C.L.I.M.B.
Our sincere desire is to bring people into the LIFE of our covenant family as fast as possible.  We invite everyone to “take the climb” with us!  CONNECT, LEARN, INVEST, MINISTER, BEGIN!  We are always pushing people to get PLUGGED IN as soon as possible.

Our Climb Classes are designed to answer questions about WHO we are as a congregation, WHERE we’re going and WHY we do WHAT we do.  We believe that if we will sustain the right CLIMATE long enough, we’ll produce a CULTURE of believers, servant leaders, disciplemakers, etc., who are excited about JESUS and His mission!

Belong and Believe
When you love people, you have to love them where they are and allow the Holy Spirit to do the drawing, cleaning and shaping.  If we will provide a place of LOVE – people will fall into that love! And guess what?  They’ll be “Red, Yellow, Black & White…Precious in His sight!”

In the culture of LOVE - racial boundaries are destroyed, rich and poor get a long...simply because they see themselves working for the same goal - LOVING PEOPLE!  

We've witnessed incredible diversity within our covenant family...it's pretty unique!  Honestly, you don't see this everywhere.  However...that's what LOVE does!  It DRAWS people. It's INCLUSIVE not EXCLUSIVE!

In the culture of BELONGING before BELIEVING, I've discovered that sometimes people will want to belong to what we're doing before they ever believe in Christ.  We have learned to make room for those who are newly discovering a relationship with Jesus and are skeptical of churches and Christians.  Over time, they'll eventually place their faith in Christ and discover a NEW LIFE in Christ for themselves.  When that happens...all you can do is SMILE!

The future is BRIGHTER because of the LOVE of Jesus in our lives!  Share Him with someone today and allow the Holy Spirit to position you in the RIGHT PLACE with the RIGHT PEOPLE at the RIGHT TIME!



God Owns Everything

Everything we have comes from the Lord!

1 Corinthians 1:4 "For in him you have been enriched in every way - in all your speaking and in all your knowledge..."

There is not a single thing we own, nor a single thing about who we are that has not been given to us.  From the tiniest detail of our appearance to the house we live in; from each and every single breath to our salvation. Even in our greatest offerings and sacrifices, we can't out-give God!

Today, give THANKS for all that you have the privilege of being a steward of!

Monday, November 25, 2013

God Desires Our Thanks

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite Holidays!  It feels good to have an ATTITUDE of GRATITUDE...not only on Thanksgiving but all year round.

Sadly, we don't always give thanks on a consistent basis.  Giving thanks should be something we do 365 days a year.

The Apostle Paul started most of his letters THANKING his readers for their faith.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 "...give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
  • God wants to be THANKED for His providence and sovereignty.
  • Jesus wants to be THANKED for taking our sin and making us clean.
  • The Holy Spirit wants to be THANKED for His guidance and comfort.
God understands our EMOTIONS because He created us in His image and after His likeness.  That means...we have emotions because He has emotions.  He desires PRAISE! He is WORTHY and He deserves it!

If you remember, He was angered by the grievances and complaints of the Israelites.  In the same way, He is grieved when we complain and carry an ungrateful attitude.

Choose to give GOD THANKS!
Choose to PRAISE GOD!



Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Wounds Produce Experience

Isaiah 53:5 "And with his stripes we are healed."

Because Jesus was wounded, He received authority to bring healing to you and me.  Out of His brokenness, others were made whole.

There is a PURPOSE for your PAIN!

Only the broken become masters at MENDING. Paul said that God "comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God" (2 Corinthians 1:4).

Find God's purpose in the REVERSALS of your life, and you'll turn them into STEPPING-STONES of blessing. God doesn't waste the EXPERIENCE!

All of us have gone through things that we never imagined could have happened to us - but they did. The problem is, the same sunshine that melts the butter hardens the clay.  

EXPERIENCE can make us hard and cold, or it can drive us into the arms of Jesus where we find answers and compassion.


Today, you're going to meet people who are hurting.  They will relate to your EXPERIENCE; not your THEORIES.  

Let God use your WOUNDS and your PAIN to make you an instrument of HEALING wherever you go.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Keep Your Covenant

Genesis 6:18 "with thee will I establish my covenant."

A COVENANT is the strongest promise two people can make.  Covenant means, “to bind together.”  Sometimes in the making of a covenant there would be an exchange of SWORDS, signifying that both parties would always DEFEND each other.  Other times, they would pass a SANDAL between them, pledging to go to any lengths for each other.  Again, they would take an ANIMAL sacrifice, split it down the middle, and walk between the halves, signifying they were ONE, and each was incomplete without the other.

God has entered into a COVENANT to bless you. 

Deuteronomy 12:7 “There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you.”

Promises of our Covenant…if we obey:
  • Health
  • Safety
  • Prosperity
  • Guidance
  • Victory
God put a list of rules into the Ark of the COVENANT and when Israel went to war and the Ark went before them, nobody could withstand them.  The COVENANT was their power source; God Himself was their ally in battle.  And He is your ally, too!
  • The covenant SWORD is God’s promise to fight for you!
  • The covenant SANDAL says no matter how far gone you may feel, just call and He’ll come.
  • The covenant SACRIFICE means you’re an heir to all that He has promised! 

Keep your COVENANT with Him…
He has every intention to keep His with you!


Saturday, November 16, 2013

Nothing Shall Offend Them

Psalms 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

Do you know someone who is easily offended?  Does it seem like every time you turn around you hear them complaining about what they don't like about this person and that person, who hurt their feelings, who didn't include them, who didn't give them opportunity or what they didn't like about this and that, etc.?  Are they highly opinionated and have something to say about everything and everyone?

When people become offended, they often POUT and let you know that they're unhappy through their body language, facial expressions and mannerisms. 

You can usually tell they're offended, because they're no longer smiling, participating, eager, zealous or pleasant.

I've watched the spirit of offense move through entire families.  Even when that spirit is RECOGNIZED and they confess that they know it is something they struggle with, because they've seen it in their parents, their grandparents, etc...unless it's REPENTED of and RENOUNCED, it passes from generation to the next as a NORMALCY and it keeps cropping it's head up generationally. 

Cain became OFFENDED at God and manifested his anger upon his brother Able.  
  • Genesis 4:5 "But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect.  And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell."
  • Genesis 4:6-7God said to Cain, "Why are thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen?  If thou does well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.  And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." 
God clearly told Cain that if he "DID RIGHT" his sacrifice would be accepted too.  He was correcting Cain and showing him how to get over this offense.  God said, "If you will master this thing, great joy will follow!"  God was pushing Cain toward the RIGHT ATTITUDE, which would yield the RIGHT ACTIONHowever, Cain did not receive the instruction the way God intended, and thus he allowed offense to build in him to the point that he yielded to his flesh and murdered his own brother.  We can murder people with dirty looks, words and actions.

What does it mean to DO RIGHT?  

For example, imagine you have a desire to be part of a particular ministry in the church.  You envision yourself serving there, giving a 100% and really giving it your all.  You sign up, show up and start serving.  You know what the protocols and requirements are and are willing to keep them, because it's your heart to serve in this area.  

However, if the spirit of offense is still in you, it isn't long until it crops its head up and begins to war within you because you feel you aren't being given the opportunity you envisioned, or you feel you're more qualified than someone else and you should have been given the lead, etc.  

You recognize this spirit...and you don't want to yield to it again...but it's badgering becomes such a battle in your mind that it begins to affect your DESIRE, ATTITUDE and COMMITMENT.

Before you know it, you allow yourself to WITHDRAW from the very thing you said you wanted to be part of.

Q:Why?  
A: The spirit of offense.

Once the spirit of offense has manifested, it's easy to move in to the mindset of being the VICTIM.  When you see yourself as a victim, you'll blame those whom you think hurt you, and you'll try to justify your resentment.  However, when you do...you lose.

When God is trying to bring you to another level, sometimes it's painful.  However, promotion often comes from pain.  God is ultimately trying to do a work IN US, so He can do a work THROUGH US.  In my own experience, I've found that it's easier to LEAVE a difficult situation than to STAY and grow in grace.
  • Listen to these words: "For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with PEACE. Isaiah 55:12
  • God is a God of PEACE.  Listen again to Psalms 119:65 "GREAT PEACE have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."
Ultimately, the PEACE of God will keep your feet from running when you fall head over heels in love with His Word!  

Churches aren't like cafeterias; you can't pick and choose what you like!  Paul says, "But now God has set the members...in the body just as He pleases." (1 Corinthians 12:18). You are not the one who chooses where you go to church - GOD does.

Satan will try to offend you and get you out of the place where God wants to bless you and make you spiritually FRUITFUL.  David says, "Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God" (Psalms 92:13).

If God plants you, He's the only
one who should uproot you!

Take authority over the Spirit of offense!  Don't allow it rob you one more day of the JOY that God has intended for your life.


Thursday, November 7, 2013

If God Allowed It, God Will Use It

Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice."

Paul was in prison when he wrote, "Rejoice in the Lord always." AROUND him was the cruelty of men, but WITHIN him was the Kingdom of God.  How is such joy possible?  Paul gives us the key: "We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18).  Child of God, there are things we see that the world doesn't.

Paul was saying, "You can lock me up, but you can't keep me in.  Outside these bars Caesar rules, but in here Jesus is Lord, and when my assignment is complete, I'm out of here. Go ahead, take your best shot.  Beat me, imprison me, lie on me, false accuse me, behead me, but one second after the axe falls I'll be more alive than I am now."

There's nothing you can do to a man like that.
He's beyond your reach.

Paul was saying, "This is the best it will ever be for you, but you ought to see where I'm going!"

"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved  we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Corinthians 5:1).

That's a God-altered perspective!

When you praise God, not because of what you FEEL, but because of what you KNOW, you'll have joy that transcends anything that comes against you!

Sometimes you don't FEEL like praising God.  However, we don't live by FEELINGS...we live by FAITH.

  • You won't always FEEL like loving people.
  • You won't always FEEL like forgiving people.
  • You won't always FEEL like praising God.
I think of JOSEPH (one of my hero's) and the great injustice that was done to him.  He chose to FORGIVE a great WRONG...and likewise we are to do the same.  Is it easy?  NO!  But if God has forgiven us...we have the responsibility to forgive others too.

  1. His brothers had DRIVEN him AWAY; he calls them to come near. (Genesis 45:4)
  2. His brothers had LEFT him without comfort or home; he encourages his brothers and comforts them. (Genesis 45:5)
  3. His brothers had been willing to ALLOW HIM TO DIE of starvation and thirst in a pit; he gave them provision for their trip home to Canaan. (Genesis 45:21)
  4. His brothers SENT HIM AWAY on the back of a mangy camel; he sends them home on fine Egyptian carts. (Genesis 45:21)
  5. His brothers had RIPPED THE COAT of many colors off his back; he gives them the expensive garments of Egypt. (Genesis 45:22)
  6. His brothers SOLD HIM FOR SILVER; Joseph gives them silver for their trip. (Genesis 45:22)
For Joseph to do this...is a picture of GRACE.

Have you ever been hurt by someone?
Have you ever been offended?
Have there been times when people have wronged you?
What do you do when that happens in your life?

We have the example of Joseph.  He forgave his brothers.  We also have the example of Jesus. When He was hanging on the cross, about to die for sin, as the religious leaders and the crowds passed by mocking Him, He prayed for their forgiveness.

When we are wronged, and it WILL happen, we are to forgive to the same extent that we have been forgiven.  In fact, we are to go the extra mile in our forgiveness of others.  That is not an easy requirement, but it is the will of God for our lives, and it is the only attitude that pleases God.

The key is to return "good for evil." (Romans 12:17-21; Matthew 5:44-48)

How could Joseph forgive his brothers like he did?  Joseph could forgive because...
  • He could see the hand of God in everything that happened to him.
  • He knew that God was behind every disruption in his life.
  • He knew that even his brothers sins against him were part of God's plan for his life.
If you and I are going to get past the hurts we experience, we must adopt the same attitude. If something takes place in your life or mine, it does so only because God gave it PERMISSION to occur.  He is behind every single event that takes place, even the HURTS we experience.  


If He has allowed it...then He will use it for my good and His glory in His time.  My responsibility is to accept the things that come my way and trust Him to work out His will through it.  If I can see His hand in the hurts I experience, it will make the hurt easier to bear.

Monday, November 4, 2013

When the Warranty Runs Out

What happens when the warranty runs out?  

Recently, the overhead light in our mud room quit working. At first, I thought the bulb was blown so I changed it.  When that didn't work, I checked the breaker box.  When that didn't work, I called a friend.  When that didn't work, I called our home builder.

I actually expected to be told, "We're sorry Mr. Hylton, you're outside your warranty period. There's nothing we can do."

To my surprise, I was elated when they called me back and said, "Mr. Hylton, we understand and apologize for any frustration this has caused.  We're contacting our electrician and they will be in touch with you to set up an appointment."

I kept waiting for them to say, "Sorry man...this is isn't our problem anymore."  However, they went above and beyond and delivered amazing customer service...even after the warranty had expired!

Their loyalty to me makes me want to be loyal to them.

Granted, I may not know everything about this company or even who the CEO is...I just appreciate the wonderful customer service I received when I was in a desperate situation.

Do our churches send the same message?

People don't come to our churches because of our theology or our preaching styles.  They really don't care about hermeneutics, homiletics or who wrote the book of Hebrews.

What they care about is when...
  • They are broken in spirit,
  • Their marriage is in trouble,
  • They've been hurt by other churches,
  • Life has let them down,
  • They're skeptical of "church people",
  • Their kids are acting crazy,
  • Their finances are messed up, 
  • Their loved one has passed away,
...someone will be there to pick them up and care about them as a person who MATTERS!

They matter...
  • In the parking lot.
  • When dropping their kids off in the nursery.
  • When they receive a smile, handshake and even a warm hug just for walking through the door.
  • The church considers them as a "guest" and not just a "visitor."
Think about it...
  • People want to know that they matter.
  • They want to experience authentic community.
  • They want to receive a life-changing message when they're at the end of their rope.
Our goal as a church is to extend EXCELLENT "customer service" at the right moment, so that we can help HEAL hurts, BIND up wounds and FREE people from their frustrations!

People are looking for HOPE!  They want to hear some news that will lift them out of their state of depression, frustration and aggravation.  

When we stand in our pulpit(s) (wherever your's happens to be) we must SMILE!  There's enough sadness and hurt in the world to bring even the happiest disposition down.  When people walk through our doors, we only have ONE SHOT at impacting them instantly!  We must intentionally seek to lift the hands of the weak, weary and worried by showing them Christ's love in a practical way.

Our theology isn't the reason that a visitor is going to stay…or leave:  at least not initially.

We want to fulfill the Great Commission, but we won't get people to hang around long enough to soak it in, unless we give an eye to their "customer service" experience.

Theology does matter.  What we believe is of primary importance in our local church, and it drives what we do each and every week.  However, it doesn't matter to people when they're on the outside of faith or when life has fallen apart.

"Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care." - Theodore Roosevelt

I'm committed to LOVING people where they are - NO MATTER where they are!  You're going to meet someone today who needs some great "customer service."  I pray you'll be the person that shares Jesus so BRIGHTLY that they'll take the first step to see their way out of darkness!

By the way, our mud room light was repaired, and it didn't cost us a dime! #winning :)

Saturday, November 2, 2013

You Matter

Dear BFWC Family,

To everyone who volunteers at Bethel Family Worship Center...YOU ARE AMAZING!!!  God is using YOU to reach people...and lives ARE being changed because of the time and effort you put in each and ever week.

Last night was simply off the charts! 1600 people walked on to our campus for a night of fellowship at the FALL HARVEST FEST!  We have never seen so many cars parked on our campus before!  They were lined up and down the streets...It was unreal!

YOU MADE IT HAPPEN!
  • You donated candy!
  • You showed up to serve!
  • You gave away smiles, hugs & handshakes!
  • You kept a good attitude when the crowd was overwhelming!
  • You served people!
  • You invited people!
  • You represented JESUS!
  • You stayed late to clean up!
  • You connected with one another!
EVERYTHING you do matters!
  • To our greeters - YOU matter!
  • To our ushers - YOU matter!
  • To our parking lot team - YOU matter!
  • To our Children's Ministries team - YOU matter!
  • To our media team - YOU matter!
  • To our gate keepers - YOU matter!
  • To our hospitality team - YOU matter!
  • To our 3one7 Students - YOU matter!
To every volunteer in ANY area of our church - YOU matter!

We're sure there might be days that you are tempted to think, "Does it really matter whether I show up today or not?"  The answer is an astounding YES!  Everything you do matters...and it IS making a difference - both NOW and for eternity!

BFWC...we understand that a church is NOT effective when the pastor ministers to the people - but rather when the BODY ministers to the body!  WE need one another!

And so week after week people show up, work with children, direct traffic, clean the place where we meet...all so we can work together to impact this community...and IT's WORKING!

It is an honor and privilege to serve with you!  We can't wait to see you on Sunday! 

Love,

Russell & Beverly Hylton
Lead Pastors