The Source at CRC - Norfolk

We have been having a great time in the student ministry at Calvary Revival Church in Norfolk,VA. We are really excited about what God is doing among the students and are really excited and expectant about the future.

Here are some pictures from last sunday that my brother took.

Click here if you want the pics to be BIGGER!!



Keep us in your prayers as we we continue to put our faith in God and move forward!

Go. Preserve. Illuminate.

These are the slides that David and I used in our talk on Church, culture and Social Media today.

Culture/Social Media

View more presentations from Ben Komanapalli.

and here is the video that we used.

For Men Only and the Women Who Love Them by Dr. B. Courtney McBath

Here are two small clips of my Pastor Dr.B.Courtney McBath preaching about Men! You should definitely follow him on twitter!





The clips really don't do justice for all that was taught in the message and the series. To really get everything that was taught I would really encourage you to go here and get a copy!

Miracle!! (Part 2)

On March 13th this year I posted a video about a high school student who attends our church.
Well this is an update on what has happened in her life since then! If you don't know what I am talking about, check out the video in my previous post and then see the video below.

God has really worked in and through this young students life!

Click here to get more details from the local news station.

Miracle!

This is a high school student from my church. She was involved in a terrible car accident but by the Grace of God survived and recovering at home now. She was recently interviewed on local news channel and here it is!

Sunday reflections

1. Second week of teaching the students about reaching out to people in their world. 
2. We had one of our team members teach for the first time to the students.
3. She had an amazing object lesson!!
4. Probably the best object lesson we used so far!!!
5. Very excited about plans for the coming months! 
6. Great to see students taking initiative and wanting to serve in the ministry and help out!
7. Now just relaxing and watching the Grammys. So far good performances! 
8. Goodnight! 

Speed Bump!

This past week everything was going on schedule for Sunday service! We wanted to keep the momentum going from the previous week. We had spent the previous Sunday talking about holiness which went great. It challenged the students and the small groups went well with lot of questions and great discussions for every age group!

As I was on my way to the church I got a phone call and I quickly learnt that the heating system in the Life Building (which is for the students) had problems and it was blowing cold air!!!

We tried to do what we could but had to cancel the service because it was FREEZING in the building!

Did you have similar experiences? If so how did you handle it? Would love to hear from you!

Fellowship with God

Here are the notes from the first prayer school during consecration:

How do we develop the fellowship with God?

1. We put our faith in God. Mark 11:22, I John 5:14-15
   
2. When we communicate with God in prayer, we have the assurance, the belief that He hears us when we talk to Him. 
   
3. The first step of faith becomes the building block for the next step of faith, which leaves that step with God, and steps out in obedience. Matthew 17:20
   
4. We do not put our faith in our own ability, talent or possessions. We must become lovers of God. Separating ourselves from the thing or things that distract us from loving Him totally.  2 Timothy 3:1-5
   
5. When our hunger is lacking for God, then our prayers are more from the head rather than the heart, and lack deoth. 
   
6. Fellowship with God should move beyond the mechanics of prayer, beyond just the principles of prayer, to the spirit of prayer. 
   
7. Our faith is not knowing the principles only, but knowing the person behind the principals. 1 Timothy 1:12, Phil. 3:7-11
8. Faith and fellowship with God builds a healthy relationship of one heart interacting with another heart. 
9. God intended for us to experience a prayer-inspiring relationship with Him while on earth.
10. More than just endlessly existing as a believer, but experiencing eternal life to the fullest.

Pitfalls (that destroy our fellowship with God)

1. Ministry - being driven by the role and making things happen, tempts us to forgo the "passive" pursuit in spending time with God. 
2. Work related duties - extensive reading and paperwork on the job compel us to forgo reading The Bible. 
3. Full time ministry - For some of us the only time we use the Bible is to counsel, sermon preparation and ministry work. The Bible becomes a textbook rather than the living Word of God!
4. Substituting our public prayer for personal conversation wit God. 

How to avoid pitfalls

1. Evaluate how much time you set aside to spend with God (is it quality time or rushed?)
2. Does my fellowship with God face many intrusions? (Setting aside the right time in my day to avoid interruption)
3. Measuring my moment in prayer with God. Develop a habit of journaling. 

Our faith and fellowship keep us connected to the Father. Acts 27:21-25

 

Boldness to pursue

Here are the main points from Sunday (1/4/09)

Hebrews 10:19-25, 1 Samuel 30:1-10, 17-20.

4 principles:

1. David believed the Word God gave him to pursue.

2. David believed that God had and God would make a way for his pursuit.

• The enemy were slowed down because of the spoils.
  
• David had nothing to slow him down. Sometimes we need to be stripped off everything so that we can pursue at full speed!!
  
• God sent others to David to come in agreement. Matt 18:19,20 Deuteronomy. 32:30

3. David believed that he would find what he was looking for.

• A warrior-king always presupposes/speaks/declares that victory will be his!!
  
• Jesus said count the cost and see if you will win!
  
• Psalm 34:13-14.
  
• Pursue the peace of God
  
• Pursue Godly conversation.
  
• Pursue good works. Do the right thing.

4. David believed he had the strength to pursue the enemy.

• He knew God would keep his word!
  
• Verse 23
  

Honor

John Bevere was the guest speaker at my church yesterday. He did a great job teaching about Honor. There was a LOT of stuff that he covered from his book Honor's Reward. 

I just wanted to mention one of things that he talked about. He said that one of the definitions in the greek for the word dishonor simple meant "to treat as common".

With that in mind....

Who are the people in your life that you take for granted or teat as common?

Is it your wife, husband, Pastor, leader, father, mother, children, friend, employer, employee, teammates......? 

Do you properly honor the people God has placed in your life?

Take some time and think about it. Once you think of the people in your life, how do you plan on honoring them? How do you plan on making this a part of your lifestyle?