Here’s a true example of some planting, some watering, and God giving the increase! Last December, Kingdom Kids entered a float in the Goldsboro Christmas parade with the kids singing songs from their upcoming musical.  As the float followed the parade route volunteers walked beside and passed out information/invitation cards to Bethel Church.  In the crowd a young family accepted the card and went  home and looked us up online at bethelchurch.info and they watched some of our webcasts.  When the father went to work one of his coworkers who already attends BC invited him to come to church with him at Bethel.   Finally after some months of inviting the family came to church and God began to open their hearts to the Lord.  The family came for several Sundays as God was dealing with their hearts and in the 11 am service today October 23 they made a public confession of Jesus as their Lord and Savior and now they are in our Essentials Discipleship Class.  To God be all the glory and to BC a big thumbs up from your Pastor for planting and watering until God brought the increase.  In my opinion this is the church being the church and not just doing church.

• Kingdom kids float
• Volunteers information/invitation cards
• BC members personal witnessing in the market place
• Media ministry-website, webcasting
• BC prayer partners
• BC worship celebration
• BC hospitality
• The gospel proclaimed is the power of God unto Salvation
• Sunday Night Life Groups-Essentials Discipleship Class
• God connections we are not even aware of

God arranges all of this to reach us just because He loves us!  It is so awesome being in a church where God can bring the increase!  It is all about HIM!

Since 1970 our Founding Pastor Holder and Bethel Church have been dedicated to supporting the orphans of Haiti and this past Friday that commitment was more visible than ever.  Over 70 volunteers served in our Hope For Haiti fundraiser.  It was amazing to watch as BC worked shoulder to shoulder as we sold 950 plates of BBQ Chicken.  We took in over $7000 and 100% of the profit will go directly to caring for the orphans.  That’s what I’m talking about!  Go BC!  It was the most plates we have ever sold at our fall fundraiser!  We still have a journey in front of us with rebuilding the orphanage but I know God will supply the funds and resources to see the orphan home completely restored. Oh yea! We had another donor give $3500 in our 9am service to finish paying for the land purchase, Praise God!  Please consider making a contribution to this continuing effort by going online at bethelchurch.info and giving to Hope For Haiti!  God bless you!

What an inspiration this young pastor is in a day and age when it seems we don’t stand for anything.  Below is a repost of a blog given by Jay Sekulow concerning a present day hero of the FAITH!

The campaign to discredit Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani is in high gear in Iran, where he faces the death penalty for refusing to recant his Christian beliefs.

Now, there are reports being circulated by Iranian state-funded Press TV that are disturbing.

 The state-controlled media outlet now claims that Pastor Youcef does not face charges of apostasy, but instead, is guilty of other crimes of what the Iranian government calls are of a security nature.

The fact is that we have obtained documentation that reveals apostasy is still the only charge facing Pastor Youcef. And now – growing concern that the Iranian government is doing all that it can to justify the death sentence facing Pastor Youcef.

Our legal and legislative teams are working non-stop on this critical case. And, now more than ever, it’s important to expose this campaign of falsehoods orchestrated by the Iranian government.

The case of Pastor Youcef is generating global attention. And, we are closing in on 100,000 names from Americans who are demanding the release of Pastor Youcef. If you haven’t added your name to our petition to free Pastor Youcef, please take a moment and add your name here.

Please continue to pray for the release of Pastor Youcef. Your voice and prayers are critically important.

Did you hear the story about the little boy who was selling pencils door to door to raise money to build a thirty million dollar hospital in his community? One woman said to him, “Son, that’s a mighty big goal for just one little boy selling pencils for a dime.”. With a big smile he replied, “Oh, I’m not doing it alone. See that boy across the street? He’s my partner; we’re doing it together.”. Now if he had that kind of faith in his partner who was only an equal, shouldn’t you have confidence in a God whose power is unequaled, and whose partnership guarantees success? The Bible says: “We are laborers together with God.”. When you truly believe those words you’ll begin to live like a “no limit” person.

This past Sunday, the worship team led us at BC in a new song entitled “Jesus Be the Center”.  As we worshiped the presence of Jesus came closer and closer and Psalm 16:11(Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore) became a reality.  Putting Jesus in the center makes everything else revolve around Him.  All other interest, hobbies, relationships, responsibilities, must surrender to Jesus being at the center of it all.  Are we having church about Jesus or church about us!  Are the songs to bless us or to bless Him!  We have today what I call selfish worship instead of self less worship.  I think that is what Jesus meant by spirit and truth worship.  Jesus Church and Jesus Worship is what we need, Jesus Be the Center of It All!  Visit bethelchurch.info for the music video “Jesus Be the Center”

Aloha in the Hawaiian language means affection, love, peace, compassion and mercy.  As Sharon and I arrived in Hawaii on Monday, we felt all of the above.  Everyone we meet were friendly and welcoming.  No one seemed bothered by our questions and ignorance, ha!  Why can’t all churches be like this!  God gives us an “Aloha” every morning when his mercies are new everyday.  His love and affection are unconditional and His compassion it fails not and of course He is the peace that transcends all understanding.  As I sit here on Waikiki Beach walk at 6:30 am on Tuesday, September 13 at Starbucks might I add, I can hear God saying ALOHA world.  ”I ALOHA you so much that I gave my only begotten SON that anybody and everybody who believes in Jesus will not perish but have everlasting LIFE!  We serve and ALOHA God so lets be ALOHA people. ALOHA everyone!

Watching the storm this past weekend, I have a greater respect for the effects of wind!  Wind unharnessed caused trees to bend and break, power lines to collapse and roofs to blow off,  signs to fall to the ground.  The winds of change.  Wind was a part of the ingredients of change on the day of pentecost.  A mighty rushing wind filled the place where they were sitting and the church was changed.  On the North Carolina coast a new inlet was created because of the winds of Irene.  Wind can be so messy and annoying but winds can produce positive change.  The winds created new inlets for us to minister this past weekend by helping our neighbors and turning strangers into friends.  The winds caused many families to stay at home and have time to bond and build stronger relationships.  The winds have made havoc and unfortunately 15 lives were lost due to Irene but even in death and destruction God remains faithful and eternally strong.  In my back yard I have cypress evergreens that are about 15-20 feet tall.  One of the trees weakened and began to give way at the root but it never fell over because it leaned on the cypress beside of it that was strong and it survived.  God is always there for us to lean on and with Him we will make it through the winds and storms of life.

Former President John F. Kennedy coined this famous phrase of course about our country but I certainly feel that it applies to the church.  Because the church is a place of compassion and empathy for the needs of others, often times people abuse themselves and the church by developing a sense of entitlement!  Jesus only gave a “well done” to the stewards who made it happen.  Jesus rebukes the victim mentality of the unprofitable servant.  Pastors and Churches are doing people an injustice by promoting a keep your hand out attitude.  Don’t take me wrong, people with true disabilities and our elderly are worthy of assistance and support and they are entitled but if we really want to help people, teach them to work and give and not take. If this offends you then maybe you have bought into a victims attitude and you will never reach your potential.  You have the choice to either be a victim or a victor. Stop making excuses and stop burying what God has entrusted to you!  Work and Give! Come on somebody, can I get a witness?

Winning teams have players that make things happen. That is always true-whether sports, business, church, or some other arena.  Those team members who can make things happen are the go-to players.  Leaders are looking for people who can step up and make a difference when it matters.  Become a go-to player.  Everyone admires a go-to player.  They are the ones who find a way to make things happen no matter what.  Criticism does not stop them. Circumstances do not have to be favorable or fair.  Pressure does not hinder them.  They always produce even when the heat is on.  Jesus gathered go-to players around him and they turned the world right side up!  His team knew that it was do or die and they did both for the cause because they were a team determined to win Christ.  It is time we demonstrate consistent competence, responsibility, and dependability and regain our influence as a church that gets it done for the cause of Christ.   The good news is in Christ, WE  WIN!

On August 7, I began a preaching series on “MOVE” and one of the elements we have to move is the dirt in our lives.  You know a gold miner moves tons of dirt sometimes before he ever finds gold. God has placed gold in each of us but the dirt has to be moved so the gold can be revealed.  I remember when we began construction on our new sanctuary, dirt was the first element that had to be moved in order to lay a foundation.  I have had the privilege to stand on the observation floor of the Empire State Building at a 110 stories.  Did you know before they laid the foundation of that building, they removed the dirt until they hit rock. That is where they began its foundation.  There is a story of an old donkey that fell into the well and nobody knew how to get him out.  Their answer was to throw dirt on him.  So each time a shovel of dirt would land on the donkeys back, he would shake it off and pack it down with his hooves until final he stepped out of the well himself.  Let’s allow the word of God and the blood of Jesus to remove the dirt in our life.  Let the gold be revealed in us, the rock (Jesus) be our foundation and shake the dirt off that others try to throw on us.  Let God remove the dirt in your life!  BC is a church on the MOVE!