Guest Speaker: Jim Jones

In my absence our church was blessed to have one of its good friends from Rock of Ages Prison Ministry. Jim is an exuberant voice of God who will inspire you to further your walk with Jesus.

Enjoy this session and if you are encouraged by it, please email us to let us know, and share it with a friend.

A Risky Christmas Adventure

Jesus knew a simple addage: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
This is Christmastime in 2009 and it seems we all are trying to be safe. Amidst a face smile of good cheer we are only trying to cheaply mask the fear surrounding our national security, personal finances, and shaky relationships. The last thing we are truly experiencing is peace on earth or good will toward men. But, there is hope.
When it was time to bring God in body into the world (Jesus), a message went out of the Messiah's birth but it didn't go out to he high fleutin' politicians in Washington, DC or the religious leaders in the vatican; instead it went out to the plain old working class folks just like you and I. People who have issues, bad days, and are at time insecure are the ones God saw purpose in and it is them that he brought ground breaking news to.
Today that same knews is coming to you, and you have to face the decision of what you are going to do now that you know where Jesus is. Only a fool would know where Jesus is and not run to him.
If you are encouraged by this session please email and let us know and share it with a friend.

Facing Winter

Death is something most people fear but it is as much a fact of life as is birth. We were are all born and we will all die. This fact should motivate us to seriously consider what happens upon death and determine if we are prepared. If we have recognized the truth of Jesus and put our faith in Him we are prepared for this impending winter which is coming. If we have not seen Jesus for who He is then we are unprepared and standing out in the cold with nothing to protect us from a brutish suffering.
This fact should motivate the Christ follower. We are standing in our prepared state and have all we need to face this winter while others stand unprepared. Some great about Jesus is that when he equips us to face this winter he also gives us everything we need to prepare others. Literally we have the boots, mittens, and coat the everyone needs to be delivered from the impending threat of winter. Sadly, many Christ followers tend to scoff at the ones on the outside and talk about how foolish they are and display their disbelief that anyone would go out in the cold dressed in such a way, instead of sharing the warmth with them.
The last challenge Jesus gave to His followers while on planet earth was for them to share the warm; equip others.
Check out this final session of our "Harvest Before Winter" series. If it blesses you in any way please let us know it and share it with a friend.

Turn Around.

A few years ago I went to a "Revival Meeting". Now, I don't know about you but I always thought that these meetings were intended for current followers of Christ to come and get their spiritual flame to burn a bit brighter. The very work "revival" means to literally revitalize or the rekindle what is already there. So, spiritually it would take the Christ follower who has let their flame die down and bring it a raging inferno again. While I sat in this meeting a seemingly angry man demonstrated to me that he found the intent of these meetings to be strickly evangelistic and aimed toward the non-believer (And, that is fine, we need meeting like this but I would not have called it a revival rather an outreach). As I sat in my seat this angry mans fist repeatedly struck the podium and his voice peaked out the sound system which produce a very unpleasant sound. In this arena I asked myself, "Is this the way Jesus spoke to people when he was trying to show them the truth?" When Jesus spoke the words "I am the way the truth and the life" (John 14.6) was he slapping the Pentatuch against a rock to emphasize each word which he shook a raging finger at the crowd. I don't know about your house when I was growing up when mom and dad acted like that I shook and ran from them instead of running and clinging to them.

Sadly I believe many well intentioned Pastors and Evangelist have missed the point of how Jesus became the days superstar of truth and attracted people from hundereds of miles away to walk days just to see him. Mark 1 relays to us the even of Jesus entering into his adult manhood and calling and also shows us the approach that Jesus took. Verse 15 is the first words Jesus speaks in this book and he says, "Repent and Believe...". Now, these are the same words that the man I saw speak was using but again, I can't picture Jesus, jumping, slapping, and spraying spit onto the crowd. In our society the term "Repent" is associated with a man doing all these things but not Jesus.

"Repent" literally means to turn around. Jesus is inviting people to turn around. Why? Because they won't like the destination they are heading toward. He contines and says "Believe". Jesus is in essence telling them "You won't like where you are heading; believe me on this one, turn around, come back this way... come back to me." That is a bit different that how most soapbox preachers present this verse, isn't it? Repent is not a negative word, it is a positive invitation to a better destination because we believe Jesus.

Have to recognized yet that your natural path is not taking you to the destination you desire to be at? Do you need to turn around, beleive Jesus, and reach the destination your soul longs for?

Watch this session as we learn about this turn around. If it blesses you please let us know and share it with others.

What is Your Life?

"This is Your Life" was a TV show in years past which highlighted a person's life and reflected on the accomplishments and failures of life. "E! True Hollywood Story" currently gives a glimpse into the lives of celebrities. We seem to have a facination with look at people's lives; it is time you look at our own.
I encourage you to do something today. Ask yourself, "What is my life?". Really, stop and reflect on it. Scripture poses the question "What is your life?" and gives the insite that it is a vapor. It is here and then it is gone. We run our lives like we are the here all and end all. Consumerism is the recipe of the day and we feel life we must reach the standard of living portraid by commercials and celebraties or else we will never be happy. We end up running our lives as if the goal is to acquire wealth, possessions, and build shallow relationship then wonder why the depression rates are at all time highs, insomnia is not explained as normal to tens of millions of people, and relationships are falling apart quicker than my two year old can dismember a pb & j sandwich.
My suggestion is this. As you examine your life and seek to discover your life's meaning you will have to know the intent of your life before you can discover your purpose. This now becomes an origins game. Consider the fact that you were not made my some random accident, rather you were created by a loving God who makes nothing or no reason but makes all things for his enjoyment and ours. From the beginning of life we were created to know God and have a relationship with Him which allows us to get to know him more. You were intended to be connected with God. But, somewhere along the line this connection was broken through our rebellion, since then mankind has been on a path leading us away from our intended purpose.
Mark 1.15 Jesus says, "You're going the wrong way, turn around... you've got to believe me on this one." And asks us all to open our eyes and see what we are doing to ourselves and then look at a far better life he has in store for us. A life free of selfishness, consumerism, and depression.
Enjoy this video session as we explore the idea of answering the question, "What is your life?" If you receive a blessing from this video please take moment to let us know and then pass it along to a friend.

Beautiful World

To all of you in internet land here is an incredibly fun song we have done for a year or so and I thought you would enjoy it!

The Disease in the Field.

Look around and you will see there are issues today and some that are unlikely to go away. The world economy has collapsed, crime is on the rise, and some believe life will end in 2012. Every group claims to have a problem to all these issues; politicians, scientists, and psychologists all have theoretical solutions. Jeremiah also had a bit of insight on this but his does not come from observation; his comes from God.

As mankind searches for a solution we often come up with ways to calm the effects of an underlying problem and can never deal with the problem because we deny what the real problem is. Jeremiah sought God's take of the situation and God spoke to him with the answer. In Scripture, Jeremiah 17.9 we see God's revelation to Jeremiah was the deep within the heart is the problem; our disconnection with God is the problem. Since society has by-and-large left any recognition of God they have also denied there could be anyway to please or displease God. Without recognizing God one cannot deal with the fact of this disconnecting nor can they do what it takes to reconnect it.

We are currently in a series talking about the parallel God uses about a farm and his followers. Take time to view this session. If it blesses you let us know and share it with friend.

Sleeping During the Harvest

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a farmer. Likely they would laugh if you told them I ever worked on a farm. I have no farming experience other than a garden my wife and I had at a previous house. Even though I have no such experience though I do know something about agriculture; you have to make sure everything is done right and on time. If you miss a step early on it will effect the harvest; if you miss the harvest all is lost. Timing is essential and the harvest is what makes it all worth while.

You may be asking now, what does this have to do with anything? Let me explain. Spiritually speaking we live on a field; God's field. We are all one of his plants, something or someone that he has invested seed into. We live our life and grow spiritually and may come to the point that we blossom and are ready to enter a whole new purpose in life. If that harvest doesn't come then we will never grasp that new purpose and will instead fall and rot. The same is true to the physical farmer's field; timing and harvest must be done properly.

God has given his followers the task of manning the fields and making sure all goes well in them; we have the responsibility of tending to the plants and assuring they are harvested. Sadly the vast majority of his followers have lost the commitment to their responsibility and are now curled up inside the farmhouse where it is warm and comfy instead of one the field where they should be. The greatest need in the world today is for Christ's followers to get out of the house and back on the field. The greatest disgrace in the world today is that Christ's followers have let Satan trick them into thinking the church if for those who already know Jesus instead of those who don't.

The video session below is part 1 of a series we began this past week and is designed to motivate you to get out of the farmhouse of comfort and get back onto the field. You may not want to watch this session but you need to! If you enjoy it and are moved please email me at pastor@millettbbc.org and let me know and then pass it along to another person who will be blessed by it.

Faith Takes Action

I have to admit something. I have a this facebook account and I keep track of a lot of people whom I haven't talked to or seen in years... really cool, right?! This is nothing new, you probably have one too and do the same thing. But do you do something else I do that is really silly? I join these groups and causes for things that are really good things like "Stop Domestic Violence" or "Abortion is Murder". At face value this all sound really good and makes me look like I care, but I don't. Well, not that I don't care about these things, but if joining that group or cause meant I have do send them money (even a one time gift) or show up to work a benefit event once and a while I wouldn't.

Please feel free to judge me for this but immediately following your judgement please go to your facebook page and ask yourself the same thing about all the groups and causes you are a member of. I do find my support for these causes and more are taken care of though other involvement in church or organizations.

My point is this... we like to say we care and are willing to support something but we really don't if we are not willing to take action on it. Our claims are empty and superficial at best. The same is true with our faith if we don't take action upon it. Jesus is often seen as a great philosopher with a get out of hell free card for all who think that way. Jesus never intended for his life and his sacrifice to be viewed in this way. Faith was intended to produce action. The author the book of James said it this way, "Faith without works is dead". Like roadkill on the highway it is there but it also stinks and is viewed as in the way; it is dead.

Your faith is intended to move you forward and others around you also. Check out this session of our service. If you find it inspiring and helpful please pass it along.

Faith Looks Forward

Did you ever stop to think about the rear view mirror in your car? Man, that has to be one of the greatest safety devices known to the auto industry! I use that thing all the time and would encourage everyone to use it. Oh, the great things it has to reveal; it tells you where you are coming from, what your are coming out of, who is about to pass you, the cop is coming up on you fast, or what the kids are yelling about this time. We have all been the person who had to slam on their breaks just in time and then immediately check the rearview mirror to make sure the person behind us has stopped. This small, rectangular device is a must have for all vehicles or we would continually be taking our eyes far from the road ahead to turn around and look out the back window; since I drive on a regular basis, I'll thank you ahead of time for not doing this.

The rearview mirror is great, but do you know why it is small; smaller than the windshield; why all the seats don't just face backward so we can clearly see behind us? Because cars were made to go forward. So are you.

It is true that best predicter of the future is the past, but we must not live life constantly looking backward. You cannot safely move forward while looking backwards. Sadly, many people are doing this today. Past relationships, heart break, past successes, and past failures are just a brief touch on things that hold people from looking through the clear window of where they are headings. Since they are looking backward they can never direct thier lives to a place which they want to go.

This concept is sad but true. In the Old Testament Biblical times some of the founders of what lead to the Christian faith did something very cool. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph all did something very bold on their death beds to ensure that their contemporaries and generations to come would have hope and peace. Each one of them shared the root of their success; they shared their faith. They shared that all they had in life was a tribute to God and the way he kept the promise he had given to them, but it had to face forward. Faith is not effective if it stands still or looks backward; but when facing forward, there is not force that can stop faith.

You have been designed to reach great heights and fulfill great purpose. You were designed to make a difference the same way the founding leaders of faith did... through faith. Are you ready to stop staring at the rear view mirror and do whatever it takes to move forward toward what God created you for? Watch this session and let it change your life. If you enjoy it let us know and pass it along to a friend. enjoy.

Faith Gives Vision

You cannot have faith and not see something bigger or better that now.

In scripture Abraham is recorded in "The Hall of Faith" in Hebrews 11 for the very reason that he had faith and he had vision. His faith directed his vision. His faith equiped him to take steps toward a greater future for him or his family than he could achieve on his own. Abraham left his land, his job, and his family behind to journey to a land he would never settle in but knew God would provide it for his kids. Abraham's faith gave him a vision that directed his actions to be about someone other than himself.

What is your vision in life? Are you all about you? Are you so settled on your own opinions that you don't have time to listen to an eternal God who created you with a far bigger purpose than to sit around and be a junk food disposal?

If we are only one planet earth for a brief 80 years and it is all over, what's the point? God had a greater vision for you in mind; have God in mind when you set your vision.

To clarify more on this idea I encourage you to spend the next 30 minutes viewing this session. If you like it pass it on and let us know about it.

Faith Through Disaster.

Life happens, but so does blessing.

God never intended for you to face a day without the hope of brightness at the end. No, there is no promise that all will go your way or that you will be rich or famous. While some promise you can get rich quick and make your body sexy by Monday, God offers no such things; but he does offer hope. Hope that you will make it through. Hope that your life is worth living. Hope that disasters can become blessings.

Recently I have been reminded of the way God's Hope works. I have a tendency to see anything that inconveniences me as a curse from God and often ask the question "WHY!" right before a curse word flies through my mind and I want to throw something at the next person I see. It is at these times that I do not want some religious lunatic telling me that there is a loving God that has it all in control. (Frankly, throwing something at the moron who is doing 35 in the 55mph zone sounds like a much better way to handle my irritation.) It is after the whole thing settles down that I sit back and think to myself... "man, that was stupid... you got that upset about... blah, blah, blah... What's wrong with you?" Now, I know what you are thinking right now; "This guys is a Pastor and he does that too?!" Yes, it is a normal instinct to get ticked off from time to time and later regret it or realize how foolish it was.

The important thing for us at that point in time is that we stop are think about things and purpose in our heart to let our Faith take control the next time we begin to act and think selfishly. It may seem like a disaster at the time, or at least a major inconvenience, but you don't know what God is planning at that moment; you are not the only person alive and God may be working some divine intervention at that moment. The person 2 cars in front of your 3 cars behind you may have been killed in a fatal accident if God hadn't put the 83 year old grandma in the front of the pack to slow them down. Maybe it is you who is spared a fatal accident.

The point is this: disasters will come to your life; how will you handle them? God gives us great insight in scripture of how to listen to His way of working, and follow his warnings before we later regret it. Noah is a great example of this. Think about it, Noah was an old man when God told him to build the ark; the last thing this old guy wanted to do is build a boat miles from water to be made fun of and thought of as the town idiot... but he did it! Why? Because long before he was asked to build a boat he had placed his faith in God and purpose in his heart that God was a better choice to follow than his own selfish desires and ambitions.

For more on this topic watch this sermon from the "Hall of Faith" series. If it blesses you, share it with a friend.

Seeking God's Approval

It is a basic human need to have the approval of someone. Mankind uses this basic need to motivate us into action. Some may seek the approval of everyone and some may only seek their own approval; but why did God create us with this need?



As we continue through Hebrews 11, the Hall of Faith, we find a guy who is known for little more than events which revolve around one thing... he pleased God. Enoch is the guys name and he found the approval of God. How? Join us as we discover the answer to than questions and pay close attention to how you can live a life with God's approval.

Smash My Ride - Episodes 3 and 4

If you look below you will find out first and second episodes of our now famous "Smash My Ride" promo for Smash Bash. The event has come and gone but you can keep reliving the fun by checking out the rest of the show.
Here are episodes 3 and 4.

Smash My Ride - 3 of 4:

Smash My Ride - 4 of 4:

A Dead Guy Talks.

There is a lot we can learn when we listen to people; including the dead.

Okay, so before I freak you out I should likely explain that statement: We will all leave a legacy; something we are known for after we kick the bucket. Once you die it is nearly guaranteed that you will be talked about the next time the family is together feasting over a warm Thanksgiving bird; what will they say? When your kids tell your grandkids about you what will they say? What they say reflects your legacy. Through you legacy you will speak to generations to come... you will be talking dead man (or woman).
In our look through Hebrews 11, or better known as the "Hall of Faith", we will find several dead people whose legacies speak to us. Today we look at Abel. Abel lived at the dawn of time and we know very little about him. However, Hebrews 11 says that he was a man of faith and faith drove him to seek excellence. His legacy is one of faith, sacrfice, and excellence; what is yours?

The Hall of Faith and You

The Hall of Faith and You.

Sermon from Sunday, September 6, 2009

When someone is really good at what they do we place them onto a pedistal. This pedistal is not always that of idolatry, rather recognition for the superb job they do. In theory, when someone is born they have the same opportunity to be recorded in a Hall of Fame as anyone else. What makes the difference? According to people who have been inducted into one of the numerous Halls, a key to their success was beginning when they were young. The older we are, the harder it is to develop into what will leave a legacy. You may get good, but a legacy isn't likely to follow. The same is try spiritually.

When someone comes to Jesus, it is very important that they begin right away learning how to develop that life as a Christ Follower. Hebrews 11 is full of people whom have left a legacy for Jesus Christ but it didn't come because they woke up one day and decided to do something great; their legact comes from continued devotion to following God... but it all started somewhere.

You can leave a legacy, but it needs to begin asap. Today is the day to begin living a devoted life. You are already leaving a legacy; is it the one you want to leave? Enjoy this service as we talk about your opportunity to be named in the Hall of Faith. What will people be saying about you after you pass on? You can decide, you can begin. Today.

Smash My Ride - Smash Bash 2009

This year we have once again been invited to attend Smash Bash, hosted by Lakeview Church in Camden, MI. Smash Bash is a human powered demo derby with events such as a drag race, pit stop challenge, and demolition derby. Teams are made up of teenagers, and they push a car which they have gutted and painted. Prizes are given for best paint, and the best of each event. A traveling trophy is given to the car which performs the best in the demo derby.



This year we decided to take a very fun approach to promoting this event and make 4 espisodes mimicking MTV's Pimp My Ride. We created "Smash My Ride". Each episode has a creative fun twist and shows the progress of our car, as well as calling people to action.



Smash Bash is September 19th at 12n. Come out and bring the family for a day of fun!

Up Your Thanks.

Did you know that your abundance and spiritual growth is determined in part by your level of thanks? It's true! That is what we discuss in our series "Step Up" in the installment called "Up Your Thanks".
Think of this; if you are not thankful for what you have you are focused on what you don't have. If you are focused on what you don't have your are coveting which is a sin (Exodus 20.17), and you are festering a life of greed. There are differernt kinds of thanks to offer: Natural Thanks, and Pure Thanks. There are likely more, but this is what we will look at today. Natural thanks is simply recognizing something was done for you and you say thanks. Sometimes it is empty or sometimes it is with an alterior motive... trying to flatter the giver so they will return often and with more. Pure thanks is totally different; it responds to generosity with acts of love. Pure love never says "thank you, but...".
When it comes to our faith we are to have Pure Thanks for what Jesus has done for us. I Thessalonians 5.18 gives us insight into the seemingly elusive will of God which we are all seek, and tells us that giving thanks is part of the glue that holds it all together. You reaching your full potential of abundance and greatness in Jesus Christ is determined by your level and purity of thanks.
Please take the next half hour to sit back and reflect on your life as you view this challenging installment called "Up Your Thanks." Share it with a friend and then write us and let us know how it changed your life.

What About Jesus' Momma?

Our apologies to our regular web viewers who faithfully watch our services via this blog, due to technical difficulties we are unable to post this weeks service. However, it will be available at a later date when we have this "Finding Answer.Together." complete dvd set available in July.

On Mother's Day we were able to keep a good think going but continuing our series as well as be themed around Mother's. Specifically we talked about Jesus' Momma. Did you know that Mary contains the second most controversial topic in all scripture?! Yes, our little old, innocent Mary packs quite a bombshell in her role of scripture. The virgin birth makes here a hot topic. Now, some of you reading this just thought "Really, what is there to wonder about?" while others thought, "Isn't that the truth... who made that one up?".

The Bible is very clear that Mary was a virgin when Jesus was both conceived and born. Some groups believe she even remained a virgin the rest of her life. With all of this controversy, lets take a look at what the Bible does and does not say about Mary and then try to weigh out what stance we should take on Mary. Cue the lights and music because here we go...

Mary is first mentioned all the way back in Genesis. Genesis 3.15 to be specific when God is talking to the dreaded serpent and says he will put enmity between him and the woman. Ask any lady and she'll admit that to be true of her and snakes! However, this "woman" is not "women" but Mary. "How so?" you ask. See, the verse goes on to speak of the "seed" of this woman, and that her seed will be at direct odds with the product of the snake (Satan). Knowing that this is the only time of scripture where a child is spoken to have been born from the lineage of a woman and not the father, this is a special occasion. Galatians 4.4 again speaks of a special child born of a "woman"... Jesus, and Mary. Today we would think nothing special would be meant if we said a child was born of a woman but in Biblical days this was big stuff. Okay, so being born of a woman is one thing we know about Jesus' momma, but we also know that she was a virgin... or do we?

Isaiah 7.14 says that a virgin will conceive. We all know that is impossible! Actually the Hebrew text says that an "almah" will conceive, and "almah" is literally translated "young woman". The appropriate Hebrew word for virgin is "bethulah", but that is not what Isaiah 7.14 says. Could it really mean that Mary had been knocking boots with Joseph after all and the virgin birth this was just a fun twist to lead us on? Maybe Isaiah was talking about his own son who was born just a short while after 7.14 was written? Let's dig deeper because we know that just because someone is a young woman it does not mean they are not a virgin also. If we look at the life of Rebekah in Genesis 24.16 we see that she was a maiden (Bethulah), and then a couple chapters later she is an "almah" (24.43). See, Rebekah is a "young virgin woman." Is that too what Mary was? About 2 centuries after Isaiah wrote these words the Jewish community showed that they knew exactly what an "almah" was when they translated it as "parthenos" when penning the Septuagent (Hebrew Bible translated to Greek), and "parthenos" is undoubtedly a virgin. So, yes, Mary was a virgin.

Looking at scripture we can know exactly who Mary was, but how can there be so much controversy around her if things seem so cut and dry? Controversy comes into the equation when people try to add or subtract from what is recorded in the Bible. Lets take a few moments and look at what the Bible does not say about Mary.

1. Mary had a c-section. Some people believe that somehow God miraculously removed Jesus from her uterus. They feel there is some shame cast upon Jesus and or Mary to have travelled down the birth canal and through private areas of the female anatomy. This is a ridiculous claim, it is like telling a butterfly that it is worthless because it had to struggle its way out of the cocoon. Micah 5.3 is talking about Mary and says she "travaileth" or labors. If God did a supernatural c-section there would be no laboring.

2. Mary was a virgin her whole life. I can't believe the Council of Constantinople actually came to this conclusion! Major religious leaders on both sides of the Protestant and Catholic borders believe this! Think of this realistically. God designed marriage to have a physical union and Paul even speaks of neglecting that union as being a sin that leads to more sin. Matthew 1.25 says that Joseph didn't have sex with Mary until after the child was born, implying they had sex after that. Also, Mary had other kids! Since God only had one child and didn't not impregnate anyone else via the Holy Spirit we know Mary and Joseph must have made babies just like everyone else; dim the lights, put on some love songs, get some oil...

3. The virgin birth was taken from mythology. Nice try but look at the facts, the OT prophecies were nearly all written before mythology.

4. Believing in the virgin birth means you have salvation. Mary's virgin birth does not prove anything for you along the lines of salvation. Romans 10.9 says how one is rescued/saved and it mentions nothing about the virgin birth. Several groups believe in the virgin birth but also believe Jesus is an archangel or simply a prophet and that certainly won't rescue you from the curse upon humanity.

5. Sin nature comes through the father. Yes, some believe that the reason that Jesus didn't have a sin nature is because his father was God and not a man and it then means that it is the male genes that cast sin upon the next generation. Speaking of genes; if you believe that, get your head out of your jeans and read Romans 3.23 "For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Nice try feminist-man-haters but you aren't perfect either. Mary herself referenced her need of a savior in Luke 1.46-47.

6. God had sex with Mary. People do believe that. In High School a kid told me this and I about laughed out loud. "If God had sex with her than she wouldn't be a virgin." I told him. He went to his church and came back this this reply, "They said if you have sex with God it doesn't count." LOL! Luke 1.35 says, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee...". I may be wrong but the Holy Ghost is not the body of God but the every present active force of God, right? Since he does not have a body he cannot have penetrating sex, right? Furthermore, the only way for God to have sex with Mary is to have the body part of him do it which is Jesus. So, Jesus would have been sent by the father to sleep with Mary to get her pregnant with Himself. Go ahead, read that again and you'll still be scratching your head. Of course, this view is only held by people who do not hold the trinity.

7. The virgin birth is not important. I'll admit there are some who put way to much emphasis on Mary and the virgin birth, but my view does NOT mean this is not important. Some wonder "Can you be a true Christian and not believe in the virgin birth?" My answer is "NO!" To that some of you just moved your mouse to the back button and this I just turned into a radical right-wing legalistic holy-rolling Christian. Hear me out. When we put our faith in Jesus Christ we are putting our faith in all that he has done for us. Past. Present. Future. We commit to him and have faith in him. Sure, we certainly don't know everything about him when we are a new Christian but our faith says that we will accept Him and everything about him as we crawl out from under the shadow of ignorance. Now, if we start picking and choosing which parts of Jesus we follow we are only having "conditional faith" and conditional faith does not produce salvation. The truth is that every part of Jesus' life is important and it all weaves together to produce the Jesus of our salvation.

All of this being said, what should we think of Mary. We know that she was a young virgin woman whom God used as the human vessel to bring his Son into the world, but is the she most holy female to ever live?

Mary is an incredible woman. Luke 1.30 tells us that God had found favor with her. However, she is not the only woman God ever found favor with. Mary happened to be the woman he found favor with to execute this part of his redemptive plan. Throughout history God has found favor with many, many men and women used them to work out his plan. Mary was one of these women at the point of history when he would send his body, Jesus Christ, to enter the world. Mary is an example of what God can do with someone who is willing to be used by him.

Mary is an example to follow, not an object to worship. Her example can teach us all something. God new that this was a bold move to have her be pregnant before marriage but it had to be so. Her life was one which carried shame and reproach from the outside world but it was still part of God's plan. Mary stepped up the the plate and hit a home run. She didn't back down. Mary loved God. Mary kept herself pure before marriage. Mary was faithful to her man. Mary was a good mother. Bottom line; Mary was not perfect, but she serves as a great example to us. Just like there were some struggles which came along with her divine calling, there will be some for us, but we too can step up the the plate and hit a home run in faithfulness to God.

Mary never claimed to be what many have made her out to be. In reality she was an ordinary woman who looked to an extraordinary God.

What does Jesus Mean for Today?

Okay, so we all know that Jesus was around a really long time ago and died on a cross, came back to life, yada, yaha, yada... But why should I care? Does he really care about me now? I think he just sits on a some rocking chair in the sky waiting to ruin the world someday and get snapped back into reality that we are here.

The above is a common view of Jesus, and if you that is your view of Jesus you are in luck. Although this perception of Jesus is very common, there is truth out there that you need to know. You are right, Jesus was a guy who was around a really long time ago and he did die on a cross and came back to life, but he is not just sitting on a rocking chair practicing his aim throwing lightening bolts. Jesus is very active, maybe even more so than when he was here on earth. "Doing what?" you ask; working for you.

You see, in the Old Testamant we see all the ways that God worked before Jesus (the body of God) came to earth. God communicated with regular people of faith and instructed them how to get to know Him more. The three main offices that helped people get to know God were the Prophets, the Priests, and even the King. God guided them and thier experiences to help us. Once Jesus came and lived the life He did, dying for us, coming back to life, and ascending back to heaven, everything changed.

While the Old Testament people relied on the three main offices to aid in the relationship to God, we rely on Jesus because he has now taken on those roles. Jesus is our prophet, our priest, and our King. Now, you may not recognize Him as that yet, but He is. Jesus is speaking to you and wanting to guide you but it all comes down to you letting him. You see, God may have the unlimited power of the universe, but he is still to much of a gentlemen to force himself upon you; you have to openly and willingly recognize God.

You will really find a lot of good stuff on this if you watch our sermon in this series "finding answers. together." You are not the first person who searched for spiritual truth, we all do. Right now I want to partner with you on your search. Join me and watch this.

If Jesus was God, How Could He Be a Man?

If Jesus is God, why would he ever chose to come to earth, and if he did come to earth why would he come in a human body? If I were God the last thing I would want to do is elect to be a human, be treated like a human, experience life as a human, smell like a human, or go get old like a human. But Jesus did. Why? Was he on a mid-life adventure trip or was there a reason for it?

If you have ever thought these things like me, you will benefit from hearing this very practical, down-to-earth sermon on Jesus being a man and doing normal man things. Jesus did not come to earth as God in human form for fun; God works intentionally with purpose. Join us in discovering that purpose.

Fair Warning: This session will change your perception of Jesus and possibly shock and or offend you.

As requested, here is a copy of the list from the Book of Mark as stated in the Sermon.

1. Ch. 1. Jesus yells at complete strangers telling them to repent, orders guys to quit their jobs to follow him, and tells demons and leper to keep their mouths shut.
2. Ch. 2. Jesus picks a fight with religious leaders because he did the equivalent of breaking into church and making sandwiches out of communion bread.
3. Ch. 3. Jesus gets angry and he ignores his mom.
4. Ch. 4. Jesus rebukes the wind.
5. Ch. 5. Jesus kills 2,000 pigs.
6. Ch. 6. Jesus offends people.
7. Ch. 7. He publically calls the religious leaders hypocrites and goes on a tirade about them.
8. Ch. 8. Jesus gets frustrated, puts spit in a guys eyes, and calls Peter “Satan”
9. Ch. 9. Jesus gets sick of some people and asks them, “How long do I have to put up with you.”
10. Ch. 10. He tells a rich guy to sell his stuff and give it to the poor.
11. Ch. 11. He has a disciple take a donkey without asking and kills a fig tree
12. Ch. 12. Jesus tells people they are wrong and that they don’t know their Bibles.
13. Ch. 13. Jesus threatens to destroy the temple.
14. Ch. 14. Jesus yells at his friends for taking a nap late at night after running them all over the place for 3 years.
15. Ch. 15. He is murdered.
16. Ch. 16. He is alive again.

What's So Special About Jesus?

Why are you a Christian? Why did you chose to follow Christ and not Islam, Buddha, or Scientology? Really, think about it. What makes Christianity so different from these, or any other religion? The difference: we have Christ... but so what? What makes Jesus so special that we should follow him and not other religions? What gives Christians the right to say they are the only way to heaven, don't all roads lead to heaven?

These questions and more are answered in this sermon.

Sermon: What's So Special About Jesus?

finding answers. together.

Our current series is making an impact. You can watch this series on this blog as our sermons are posted weekly (normally by Tuesday afternoon) but I want to take a moment and talk about this series.
Finding Answers. Together. is designed for people who are willing to look at what they believe and admit they don't have all the answers but want them. You'd be scared to know that most everyone is just like everyone else... we all have questions. You won't find answers unless your questions are asked. That is what we are finding... answers.
This series takes a very commonsense approach and is not for the heavily intellectual person, but for the commoner. Bible is used but so is logic. It is serious topic studies but delivered with humor and satire. Some could argue, "You can't use logic to answer questions about Christ... we are to walk by faith and not by sight." I agree about walking by faith, but don't forget that if you are saying this statement you are likely a current follower of Christ and have faith; but we are sent to people who are not Christ followers and do not have faith. Realize that even the Christ follower does not have blind faith; the Christ follower has seen enough to believe and continues to believe and therefore sees. (Yes, that does make sense but you may have to read it a few times and then have your mom explain it to you.)
If you have questions you would like us to answer in this series please feel free to email them over to me: pastor@millettbbc.org. If your question fits into the flow of the series it will be considered. Makes sure to keep up with the series as you may have it answered somewhere throughout it.
If you are enlightened or inspired by this series please let me know as well. Send me an email and share your blessing. Be sure to tell which sermon touched you and how.
I look forward to having you join me as we continue Finding Answers. Together.

Did Jesus Really Come Back to Life?

On Easter Sunday we began a series for people like me... you know, the kind who want to cut through all the fluff and get to the truth. We are calling this series "Finding Answers. Together." and we are doing just that; finding real answers. We all have questions dealing with Jesus and we are going to find real answers to them, not just hearsay.



Since we began on Easter we began with the question, "Did Jesus Really Come Back to Life?" Good question. Think about it, could it really have happened? Do you really believe it? Just because your grandma did doesn't mean you have to; she also believed rubbing butter on a burn was the right thing to do but we all know it is the worst. Is their really any proof that Jesus, the worlds most popular person could really die and really come back to life? Watch this video as we explored conspiracy theories and seek truth.

Sermon - Did Jesus Really Come Back to Life?


Easter Choir.



Special - Arise My Love

Easter Sunday! Great Day!

April 12th was Easter Sunday which meant things were busy around the church, but well worth it! Our attendance was up 50% from the previous week which meant we connected more people with Jesus.

From tasteful choir songs and other special music to starting a new sermon series called Finding Answers. Together. Face it, we all have questions concerning spiritual things and in this series we are looking at objective evidence that Jesus and Christianity are truly legit.

Take some time to enjoy the special moments of the day! Below are video clips from the celebration service.
Piano Solo - Myrical


Special - Communion


Special - This man

Jesus' Freedom March.

Every church takes a different approach to Palm Sunday. I like to think of it as the Freedom March that lead way to a liberation movment of grace and forgiveness. As Jesus rode into town on the back of a colt it was far different than what the Israelites thought the Messiah would do, look like, think like, and act like, but it was exactly how God knew it would go all along.

Luke 19 records this freedom march. Grab your Bible and follow along.

Where You'll Find Jesus

As we continue in our "Preparing for Easter" series we look at what many wonder... where is Jesus today? If he is so loving how could we possibly see the evil present in the world today? Fact is, Jesus is here; as we sit around talking about him, he is waiting for us to recognize him.

What the Resurrection Means Today.

March 15, 2009 we began a new series called "Preparing for Easter" as we count down the last 4 weeks before the highlight of the Christian calendar. Enjoy.

Grand Prix Winners! 2009

As promised, here are some of the winners of the Grand Prix for cars which were entered through our church.

TEEN DIVISION.

1st Place Design and Peoples Choice Award: Jin.

2nd Place Design: Freddy

3rd Place Speed: Michael

ADULT DIVISION.

3rd Place Speed: Dale

3rd Place Design: Roger

2nd Place Design: Amber

People's Choice in Design: Randy

Grand Prix 2009

Grand Prix 2009. This was the third year we partnered with Colonial Village Baptist to race in the annual Grand Prix. Again it proved to be an amazing time and provided great opportunity for people who are not fimiliar with church to participate and get to know the love of Christ by experiencing it in action. We had 18 cars registered to race through our church and we walked away with 9 metals! Congratulations to Freddy, Jin, Amber, and Randy who won awards for design, and to Michael and Dale who won awards for speed! Pictures of the winnings cars will be published in a continued post.

Enjoy the pictures and watch the video.

Review Video. Check it out!

Day 5 - Lobby Remodel

Day 5 - Crunch Time. This is our last day to work on our project before Sunday. Tomorrow the cleaning crew is coming in and it must be ready for them. The desk frame was made, the countertop secured, clearcoat the oak sill, and get the final trim put on. Once that is done... start reloading the office space with furniture and supplies. Not to mention mount the welcome sign and have the pro's do the carpet.

Day 4 - Lobby Remodel.

Day 4 - Sand the drywall and paint, paint, paint! After hours the pro's came back over and fit our custom desktop and cut our oak sill.

Day 3 - Lobby Remodel

Day 3 - Sand the drywall and mud it again. Wait. Sorry, no fancy pictures here. See day 2; it looks the same.

Day 2 - Lobby Remodel

Day 2. Today we mud the drywall and wait.

Welcome Desk/Lobby Remodel Day 1

Day one is done and we are right on schedule! Check out some of the pictures of our remodel.

A special thanks to our workers who are volunteering their help.

Believe in Yourself; Jesus does.

When did you stop believing in yourself?

As followers of Christ we can sometimes be cinical of the way people always promote self confidence over faith in a "higher power". Humanism is the belief that power comes from within ones self and must be released for one to reach their full potential while faith in God teaches us to reach within ourselves to believe in Him rather than ourselves. If all of this has your head spinning in confusion don't worry, so is mine. However, last week a revelation was given to me in preparation for two youth services. Believing in Jesus is great but if you don't believe in yourself your faith in Jesus if useless.

In Matthew 14.22-33 the record is shared that Jesus is walking on the water with his followers were in a boat. One of the men, Peter, calls out and asks if he can join Jesus. Jesus says "yes" so Peter steps out of the boat and begins to talk on the water! He is actually walking on top of the water! Well... for a moment, then he starts to sink. Why does he sink? Because he starts to doubt. Jesus asks him, "Why did you doubt?" Stop here. If doubt caused Peter to sink, we have to ask our self, who or what did he doubt. Some would be quick to say, "He must have doubted Jesus" but that isn't true because he calls out for Jesus to save him. He doubted himself. He doubted that he could walk on water. He doubted what he could do when he was acting under the command of Jesus. We do the same thing.

Peter knew that Jesus had all power of heaven and earth and that Jesus was the Son of God; what he forgot was that that power had been given to him as well. Peter told himself, "I am man, man cannot walk on the water. I cannot walk on the water!" True. Man cannot walk on the water but man under power of God can. "I can do all thing through Christ who gives me strength." Philippians 4.13.

The next time you tell yourself that you can't do something remember that Jesus said you can. At the same time that we say we believe in Jesus, He is believing in us. As we are trusting Jesus, he is trusting us. Jesus trusts in you enough, and has enough confidence in you that he has trusted you with his love, his salvation, and his word that you can carry it to the world. He believes you can; it is time you start believing that you can too.

The Honor Clause

Since 2006 our church has attended, sponsored, and endorsed Lake Ann Camp (LA) in northern Michigan. This past weekend we attended our 4th Freeze Out (FO) Winter Retreat for J. High and High School students. Each FO there is a time of winter fun, friendship, and most of all Faith. This year the camp had added times where each church could get together with their own youth you talk to the hearts of the their kids. Leading up the FO I felt God was laying on my heart to talk about "Honor".

Growing up I had the idea in my head that "honor" meant to obey; I believed the two were synonymous but after studying it in preparation I realize it has nothing to do with each other. They are related, but not the same. Exodus 20.12 says that we are to "Honor [our] father and mother that we may have long days in the land that God has given to you." The traditional view of this verse is that it means we have to OBEY mom and dad. Though we should obey them (Eph. 6.1), it does not say to obey, it says to honor. The definition we used at FO was this: Honor: Willing obedience, defending reputation, and benefiting someone else. Let me explain...

Willing Obedience: When we honor someone we are obeying them, but when we are obeying, we are not necessarily honoring. I explained it this way: "You are talking with your best friend at school and make plans for them to come over later that night but when your mom or dad come home they say, "Lets just have a quiet night tonight. We are not having anyone over but just staying in and staying low-key." You have a choice of your response when you call your friend, you can say, "You can't come over! My is so stupid! I told them that you were coming over they said no just because they are tired! So what! What a stupid rule!" or you can respond, "Hey, it isn't going to work out tonight. Mom/dad is pretty tired and just wants a quiet night here. We'll try again another time." Which one is honor? You get the point; both obeyed, one honored.

Defending Reputation: Honor is not done for our self (we will talk more about that later). In the military there is a lot done in the name of honor. Why? Because it is about defending the reputation of America. America is known for being a strong and independent country; we command respect by the world and it comes down to the pride we are have in it. Just a soldier defends the pride and lifestyle of our country, we must honor our parents by defending what they have worked for. A child can ruin the reputation of a family. How many times have we been in a public place and heard a child that needed some serious discipline and we say, "Why don't the shut that kid up!" Or you see on TV a juvenile who begins to have a string of petty crimes under their belt and who is blamed... the parent. Some studies who that in more cases than not it is the teenage kids that can ruin the reputation of a family more than the parents. In the case of honor we must take pride in the family we are in because we see it as a gift from God and therefore are willing to defend it even if we don't agree with it. Again, the analogy of our country; we don't agree with everything that goes along within it but we honor it just the same in word and deed. Side note: One teen said, "See it is our fault when our parents get a divorce." NO! This is not talking about marriage, this family pride while we respect and honor it.

About Someone Else: Honor is taking the essence of pride and directing it somewhere else. When we have pride, especially self-pride we do anything to promote it and defend it. Honor redirects that motivation and puts it on someone else. How many times have we heard that phrase: "yada yada... in honor of John Doe." What does that mean? Something was done for the benefit of someone else. At our meeting time I gave the example that if one of the teens along were to have a horrible accident which landed her on her death bed that day, and she looked at me in her last breath and said, "Pastor, as my last dying request I want you to go down the tubing hill in only your boxers." Do you know what I would try to do that night? Yes! I would try to go down the hill in my boxers! Why? Because I would do all I could to honor her last request! Certainly it would not be about my own pleasure, but to please someone else. The same is true with our parents; our actions is not about us but about them. It also must be pointed out that Jesus did make a last request when he left (Matthew 28.19) to go and make disciples of him. Are we going to honor.

In our last meeting together I asked the athletes these questions; Does your coach have the right to tell you what time you get up? What do eat? What to wear? What time to be where? That you need to improve? etc... They answer for all of them was "Yes". My next question was, "Why?" To which they said, "To improve your game". When I asked the exact same questions but changed it to "Does your mom or dad have the right to...?" They all said "no!!!". I also repeated them with "Does God have the right...?" This was a great eye opener to many of the as we revealed that they were focused more on honoring the wrong people in life but that the same reason our parents set standards for us to follow is the same reason a coach sets standards for their team... to improve you.

We returned from FO on Sunday afternoon. I was very excited when after the evening service I had already heard from parents who wondered what had happened to their kids at FO because they were like a different child. When they would have fought over an issue the teen was respectful! Praise God!