Phil, Andy and I have been meeting to figure out better ways to involve Sunday Morning Bible Fellowship in missions. Our goal is to find ways to serve you better so please let me know if there are areas that you want to see improved and by all means let me know if there is something you are really excited about that we are already doing. Please read the request below and involve your class in one of the great opportunities coming up.

Do you enjoy making a difference in somebody’s life? Have you ever wanted to meet some of First Baptist Concord’s local ministry partners? Do you want to have fun serving others with your family, friends, and Bible Fellowship Group? Don’t miss this opportunity to get involved with our church’s first Compassion In Action community service initiative occurring this Spring.

Every Bible Study Fellowship class including all youth and children are being invited to participate in a one day (4-6 hr) service project called “Compassion In Action” that can be completed anytime between April 21 and June 2. This is a simple 4 to 6 hour service project that has two primary goals: to meet and encourage our local ministry partners and to begin to build momentum for reaching out into the community as a servant and a friend. In general, the project should be planned in April and completed in May.

This project is being coordinated by the Deacons Community Relations subcommittee chaired by Mike Lasater. There will be an informational pizza luncheon either in the gym or outside on the lawn on April 15 following the second service. Children are welcome. RSVP required to abacon@fbconcord.org.

Charrette

A charrette is a fancy French. The French word, "charrette" means "cart" and is often used to describe the final, intense work effort expended by art and architecture students to meet a project deadline. This use of the term is said to originate from the École des Beaux Arts in Paris during the 19th century, where proctors circulated a cart, or “charrette”, to collect final drawings while students frantically put finishing touches on their work...a word referring to an intense architect session.

I had never heard of the word but I am excited about the results. Monday and Tuesday night a team of people gathered together to develop the master plan. I like to refer to it as the Master's Plan. This team included the building committee, members of the church staff, members of the finance committee, our builder, our architect, Bill Wilson from CCS and Jeff Otero from Strategic Dimensions that led the process http://www.strategicdimensions.com/.

If you are like me you are probably wondering what was accomplished. Serious attention was given to placement of buildings, phases and finances. You should be seeing some exciting news coming out soon but I just wanted to give you a warning so you can fasten your seat belt. What I have seen is very exciting, well thought out and allows more ministry than I ever thought possible on this campus. The buildin g committee has done a great job!

If you have questions e-mail ejent@fbconcord.org. It might be something we should blog about later.

Why didn't I Pay More Attention?

In school I can remember wondering about the purpose of High School English. Nouns and pronouns were not my favorite subject (pun intended). I also thought it was pretty funny when they would say, "Verbs, now that is where the action is"; being the analytical type that I am I still think it is a valid question to ask why we need to learn these parts of speech.

Although, I take total responsibility for napping during English I wish there would have been someone that would have given one good reason why these things were important. I can remember asking. I also remember that no one took the question seriously or maybe they just didn't know.

The blog today demonstrates why English is so important to folks who study the Bible. Our example comes from Matthew 28:19. Verbs are marked in red. Conjunctions are the words colored green (the green ones in the red I will explain later). Nouns are shaded blue. Pronouns are the words colored blue and the adjectives are underlined in blue. Allow me to pause, I can't believe I care! Not only do I care I am blogging about this so you will care. I admit I have become a grammar Nazi or at least a grammar Nazi want to be. I am studying parts of English. My flesh still rebels and I feel like Charlie Brown AAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGG.

However, when you look at this verse and its syntax (definition at the end of the article) you learn something really cool. The command in this verse is to make disciples. I would have thought the command was to go. When you study the Bible inductively you find little nuances like the example here in Matthew 28:19 that impact your entire theology and this is where the green text inside of the red shading comes in. The green text inside of the red shading is my marking for imperative verbs. Imperative verbs are defined like this...
The imperative mood corresponds to the English imperative, and expresses a command to the hearer to perform a certain action by the order and authority of the one commanding. Thus, Jesus’ phrase, “Repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mk.1:15) is not at all an “invitation,” but an absolute command requiring full obedience on the part of all hearers.
Larry Pierce, Tense Voice Mood. (Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship.), TVM5794.

Realizing that our command is to make disciples as we go gives the truth of this passage. If I believed "Go" was the command in and of itself I would miss the point entirely.

Do you see grammar mistakes in the blog? Go ahead, blast me, I deserve it. I should have been paying attention in class.

_________________________________________________________________
Syntax
1 a : the way in which linguistic elements (as words) are put together to form constituents (as phrases or clauses)
b : the part of grammar dealing with this
2 : a connected or orderly system : harmonious arrangement of parts or elements
3 : syntactics especially as dealing with the formal properties of languages or calculi
Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary., Includes Index., 10th ed. (Springfield, Mass., U.S.A.: Merriam-Webster, 1996, c1993).

Rise and Shine

When I crawl out of bed at 5 a.m. I am going deer hunting but recently I was invited to a Bible Study that begins slightly before the crack of dawn. Suprisingly I have found the study to be energizing. Not that I expected a bad study but walking through any doors at 5:50 means I am crawling out of bed before 0 dark thirty.

The study is held in a leased office complex. Brad teaches the lesson and does an excellent job including video clips to really drive his point home. A surprising revelation, for me at least, was last Wedneday morning when he couldn't get the video working properly. When I am in front of a group and something like that goes wrong I am pushing buttons as if I am trying to stop a nuclear attack. However, from my participant chair in the middle of the back row it wasn't a big deal at all. In fact, it just provided an opportunity to dialogue with Sam, my guest. It is amazing how your perspective changes when you move from leader to participant, emphasizing the fact that it is very healthy for me to be a participant as much as possible.

I love the Howard Hendricks quote, "If you output exceeds your input, your upkeep will be your downfall." Between Brad, the large group leader, and Frank, my small group leader I have gotten some great input. If you are looking for a men's study check this one out!
http://www.thequestformanhood.com

By the way the coffee is brewed and waiting for you when you walk in the door. I don't get this type of treatment going to my tree stand.

Bible Software

If you know me very well then you know that saying I am a fan of Logos Bible Software is something of an understatement. I think everyone should be building an electronic library! If you are thrifty and enjoy digital books check this out.

Logos provides two ways for you to acquire books at a greatly reduced price.

Community Pricing
Logos calculates how much it will cost to produce a title; when Logos users together place bids to total that amount, they produce the title. What makes this program unique is that, as more users bid the price moves lower!



This example shows my bid of $6 but since there was adequate bids to cover the book at $5 my final cost is $5. Community pricing is a great way to add books to your library inexpensively.

Pre-Publication

Pre-Pulbication is another way to add books to your libary at a lower cost. Currently there is a great deal on The Life and Epistle of St. Paul. This is a classic work that you need to put on your shelf (Wait a minute, digital books don't have a shelf). Anyway, follow the links on this page and check out the deals for yourself. I realize that if you have never heard of Logos these deals don't mean that much to you but maybe we have peeked your curiosity.

Resumes of Encouragers Wanted

Parenting is an interesting job. Your kids don't always listen and others, especially those without children, know exactly what you should do to solve any issue you might experience. The best advice is to follow the Words found in the book of James.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Jas 1:5). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

I think the folks that penned the following two quotes must have been reading the book of James since wisdom drips from each letter. Let's see what you think.

"Parents need to fill a child's bucket of self-esteem so full that the rest of the world can't poke enough holes in it to drain it dry." —unknown

"Children are developed the same way Carnegie explained that gold is mined: Tons of dirt have to be removed to get an ounce of gold. But you don't go in into the mine looking for the dirt. You go in looking for the gold." —Paul Lewis

OK, I know I said two quotes but Mark Twain had to be spending time in James too. Look at this.

"God has put something noble and good into every heart his hand created." —Mark Twain

If you are reading this and you work with kids just remember parents have plenty of help from the world tearing kids down but we are taking the resumes of people who can help fill the self-esteem bucket.

Three Bible Study Hours, Two Worships, One Heart

The obvious question is why. The answer to this question makes me think about the farm I grew up on in South Central Kentucky. We had an orchard and when I would pick apples in a five bushel basket I would try to stack extra ones on top even after the basket was filled. After a while I realized even though I was putting forth a valiant effort I was wasting time. A five bushel basket only holds five bushels effectively.

The fruit we gather at FB, Concord is much more important but the analogy is valid. God has blessed us and if we want to gather more fruit we must add another basket. Beginning August 20th we will have baskets (Bible Studies) at 8:15, 9:30 and 11:00. God has truly blessed us and this will be one more hour that we have to teach God's Word.

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few!