Are You Really Ever Ready For Death?

On Monday, April 16th 2007, my wife's grandmother passed away. We have know for quite a long while that her passing was imminent, and we made all of the preparations for it as best we could. For the last week Sara's grandma was really going down hill and we were expecting her to be taken at any time. We were not sure of Pauline's, Sara's Grandma, standing with the Lord - that is to say we did not know if she was born again or not. We know that Pauline had been a church goer in the past, and we know that she has heard the gospel, but beyond that we were just kind of in the dark. So on last Friday Sara swallowed hard and went through the plan of salvation with her Grandma. Sara said that it was one of the hardest witnessing encounters she had ever had. We thank the Lord that he gave Sara the strength and courage to share with her Grandma, and we are trusting him that he wooed Pauline to himself.

However even with all of this, and all of the preparations that were made for Pauline's passing we were still not ready when we got the call on Monday to inform us that she had died. Things were not in order yet, there was laundry to be done still, we had a Bible study that was supposed to be at our house on Wednesday, we have a three day evangelism training class that was scheduled at the church, we even had tickets to a baseball game on Saturday night. Yet death waits for no man, but comes even if we are not prepared. So the question comes, "Are we ever really ready for death?" The answer is a two part answer. The first part is that we know that we need to be ready to meet God at the judgment seat, that we need to be born again so that death's sting is swallowed up. (1Cor 15:54-55) So if we are born again then we are ready for death.

The second part is not so easy to answer though. The simple answer is no....we are never ready to die, things are never in order. My wife, bless her soul and heart, told me on the phone today that this week was just not a good week for her Grandma to pass. We get as ready as we can for death to come, but even when we prepare it still comes upon us suddenly. We just pray that when death comes that the Spirit is ready to receive us into our everlasting home, that we have loved and lived well, and that we have not denied the name of Christ here on earth. Are you prepared for those you love to step into eternity? Have you shared the glorious Gospel of Christ with those in your family that need to hear it? Have you shared your faith today? Sara shared one last time three days before her Grandma died, do you love your family enough to share Christ with them as well? Please post your comments on this by clicking the appropriate link below.

Women's Football and Easter Eggs!

This past Saturday we had a really awesome turn out for our annual Easter Egg hunt. This year we were given the opportunity to work with the Clarksville Fox, which is a new semi-pro women's football team that is based here in Clarksville. It never ceases to amaze me how God brings ministry opportunities that I would have never expected or even dreamed of. One of the ladies at the church is playing on this team and her husband is one of the coaches, they approached me about being the chaplain of the team and our church actually being one of the team sponsors. Well to make a long story short I am now the chaplain of this wonderful football team, and I am already having chances to share the gospel on a regular basis.

The egg hunt was the first way that I got to share in a mass setting. When we decided to team up with them for the Easter Egg hunt it was at the cost of cancelling the one that we always have at the church, however we felt that this was the way the Lord was leading. Always our Easter Egg hunt at church was used as a platform to share the Gospel with kids who would not get a chance to hear it any other way. When Rob Brown, the owner and GM of the team, offered to let me speak at the hunt the Fox was putting on I just couldn't pass it up. So we cancelled ours, combined with them, and prayed that God would bring the people. Well I will let you judge if he brought the people.

All told we estimate that there were between 500 - 1000 people attending (probably around 750 to be more accurate.) The hunt was listed in the paper as the number one thing to do in Clarksville TN for the Saturday before Easter. The best part is I got to give a clear cut Gospel presentation to all in attendance. It is really true that God opens doors that can not be shut, and shuts doors that can not be open. We just have to rest in knowing that what he is doing is best.

By the way - we usually have about 50 kids at the church when we do our hunt there.

Half Pipe Dreams!

I have one of the neatest guys in the world working with us at the church that I am planting/pastoring. His name is Larry Williams, and truth be told there is not another man that I would rather have on a team planting a church with me. I have known Larry for a number of years and when we first met let's just say he was still a little unsavory. However it is neat now to watch how God has transformed his life in a very real way. I could go on with story after story of how God is working in his life but I want to share one simple story today that is very profound. I want to share with you Larry's half pipe dreams!

Larry is diligently working to become a youth Pastor with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. One of the things the Alliance looks for is evidence that God has really called this person into the ministry. For me Larry in youth ministry is a no brainer. When I first met Larry he had a strong dislike for kids, except his own kids, but God has really changed his heart. The Lord has led him into some very creative ministries to reach the kids of his neighborhood with the gospel, and most recently the Lord has led him into the most creative endeavor yet. This past weekend construction was begun on a new half pipe in Larry's back yard. Now for those that don't know, a half pipe is a ramp that looks like a pipe cut in half. The kids ride their bikes, skateboards, roller blades, etc back and forth across it doing tricks at the top. Half pipe riding is becoming very popular among the kids and teens in today's world.

So Larry has prayerfully stood back and asked the Lord how can a half pipe bring God glory. Feeling led of the Spirit he undertook to build one in his own back yard, and he paid for it out of his own savings account. He figures if the kids will come to his house to ride the half pipe he can build relational bridges with them, and that in God's timing he can share the gospel with them, and begin discipling those who come to Christ. But this isn't going to be your typical youth group, the pipe will be open several days a week, sometimes Larry will just have fun with the kids, sometimes he will speak the truth to them in love, and eventually God will be glorified in these young people's lives. Larry is even going so far in this as to buy a special full face motorcycle helmet that the front part can flip up on so as he rides his motorcycle through the neighborhood he doesn't have his face hidden by a helmet when he is inviting the kids over to his house.

All of this is so that souls can be won into the Kingdom of God, and that the name of Jesus might be proclaimed throughout our city, state, country, and planet. Larry would never ask this of anyone, but I would like to extend the opportunity to you all to partner with Larry in this endeavor. The ramp alone has already cost him over $2000 to build. As you know there will be numerous other expenses related to trying to reach these kids in this neighborhood through this ministry. If you would like to partner with Larry and his wife in this ministry you can contact me for information on how by emailing me at jdbreedlovejr@bellsouth.net , or you can send a tax deductible contribution to Crossroads Fellowship of the C&MA at 2687 Tiny Town Road Clarksville TN, 37042. If you wish to keep your support anonymous please let me know and it will be as you desire.