Into the Hills* of Maryland

The last three days have been filled with all kinds of new experiences; this weekend I was privileged to accompany the Infinity Church youth group to their summer camp. First off I got to meet a whole new group of people and got to develop deeper relationships with others I knew before. Spending a weekend in the woods with a group of middle schoolers can bring any group of adults closer together. All in all the kids were great, well at least the fellas were. I can't attest to the ladies too much. But it was great getting to spend some time with the volunteers in the youth group, even though I already knew all of them in some form or fashion I was able to really get acquainted with them. I also knew a few of the kids that went with us, but most of them I had not yet met. We had four fellas go, so Mike and I had it pretty easy. And it really gave me the opportunity to spend one on one time with all of them. It was fantastic.

I certainly enjoyed that part of the trip much more than the camp itself. This camp was structured a little different than what I'm used to. Even different from the weekend camps that I've been to. The worship services were something new to me, as odd as that sounds. It was more the worship and singing that was new for me. My favorite song was definitely the "funky music" version of "How Great is Our God" that we sang Saturday night. Let me just tell you though, we sang that song for at least 15 minutes and didn't even sing a verse! The slide on the screen could have read:

How great is our God!

Sing with me, how great is our God,

And all will see how great,

How great is our God!

(x 50)

You might laugh, but I really do think we sang that chorus 50 times. But it really gave time for that to sink in and encouraged me to just try and think about how great God really is. But yeah, all the songs were like that. The messages this weekend were well worth the trip. The camp was centered on change, metamorphosis, transformation, II Corinthians 5.17 kind of stuff. On Saturday night and Sunday morning we had a Gospel rapper preach. Yeah, that's right, a Gospel rapper who goes by "The Ambassador." I need to look him up, apparently he's a pretty big deal. If his music is as good as his preaching I'm sure I will like it. Another gentleman preached to us on Friday night. He told us about the change in his own life. He said something Friday night that just smacked me upside the head, it was intense. Talking about people who think they're saved, he referenced Matthew 7.23. He said, "For an omniscient God to say, 'I never knew you' is a BIG deal!" I had to do a double take with my ears on that. It was an astounding statement that I wasn't really sure what to do with. I realize the passage he is referencing is pretty hardcore, certainly a hard teaching. People who think they are saved will hear those words one day. Can you imagine?! It's really a warning for people in ministry who preach and prophecy, and yet God doesn't know them. It made me wanted to get reacquainted with God in a new way for sure.

So that was this weekend, and what a set of days to have behind me as I approach the days ahead of me. This is the last week to get everything ready and organized for the sports camp next week. It will definitely be my busiest week so far, but I'm excited. It was great to hear several messages this weekend all centered around Gospel presentation as I will be sitting down this week to write 4 sermons all with the purpose of presenting the Gospel. I feel like I have a pretty strong foundation for what God wants say next week to all those kids. It is great to be able to use the whole week to share with them. It will allow me to build and develop each sermon into a strong presentation of the Gospel. By the end of the week I pray that God will use me to make clear to all who come to learn sports will that they are sinners in need of a savior, that Jesus is the ONLY way to salvation from those sins, and that salvation comes by grace through a relationship with Christ which must be worked at. Just like coming to that sports camp one week out of the year will not make them an athlete, neither will making an uncommitted decision to follow Christ save them from their sins. Just like sports, this lifestyle takes practice, and just like all relationships on earth require correspondence, so does our relationship with Christ. I do not just want to tell the kids about Jesus so they will say a prayer and go through life telling people they're saved because they prayed once, but I pray that God will show these kids the way He will not only change their eternal destiny, but He will change their way of life here on earth. Similar to what this weekend's camp was about: change, transformation.

So pray that God will help me put all of this together in a way that will glorify Him, that will be truthful and honest with the kids, and that will at least plant seeds that can be harvested and discipled by Infinity Church or any other Gospel preaching, God fearing church. I have never been about numbers or twisting people's emotions to illicit a response, so pray that God will not let me settle for half truths or sharing a false, "more appealing" Gospel. I put that in quotes because people often try to soften the Gospel to make it easier to accept, and the fact is that it is not easy for self-centered human beings to abandon their life to God; however, despite being hard to accept, it is the only true Gospel. Therefore, any other Gospel is not appealing because it will not save you. So pray that I would not compromise or soften the Gospel. Pray for the camp as well, that everyone stays safe, healthy and learns life lessons along with all the sports talk. Pray for good weather. That is definitely necessary for what we've got going on next week. Pray for all the teams that are traveling up here to help us with this camp; pray that all the youth would learn from this week how to serve and minister and that they would get excited about it and want to live a life of ministering to those around them, or even going somewhere else to share the Gospel. Thank you for your prayers, support and encouragement. It has been a great summer so far and I'm only halfway there. I cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store for me during the next five weeks.

*"Hills" here are quite a bit different than hills in Tennessee. But it was nice being away from all the non-stop commotion of being so close to the city.

To God be the glory.

Week Four (4)

Well, it's a little late, but I'm finally getting around to telling you all about my fourth week here. It's been a lot of the same, just getting things ready for the sports camp just two weeks away now, as well as lining things up for the missions conference a few weeks following the sports camp. I did get to take a midweek trip into the city last week to take registration forms by some of the elementary schools and the library near the community where we're doing the sports camp. That was the first time I had been downtown on a week day. I was sure to leave late in the morning to miss all the traffic!

Last Sunday night I got to go back down to the city again and watch game 6 of the NBA Finals with Horace. That was a lot of fun too. His little girls are so sweet and I love spending time with him and his family. Needless to say, Horace educated me all about basketball and the NBA. He told me about Lebron "Lames" and Chris "Gosh" and Dwyane "Fade."He's a Heat hater, but I got him to quiet down a bit when I showed him I could talk trash too when I started talking about Joe "WackO." Anyway, even though the Heat lost, it was a blast. This past Saturady he and I went on another bike ride. We didn't go quite as far this time, but we had some pretty good discussion. I can tell that the Holy Spirit is present and at work in his life. Despite being a relatively new Christian, Horace is familiar with what Scripture says and seems to have a lot of wisdom regarding its teachings. It was really interesting to hear his perspective, and he taught me a lot Saturday.

The big news of the week is that Jeremy and Pastor Aaron have placed on me the responsibility to present the Gospel each night after the sports camp. Every night after everyone goes through camp, we will gather them together and present the Gospel to them before hotdogs and fellowship. I feel a burden to present the Gospel in a way that the kids will be able to understand and that will plant seeds in their lives that will be at some point be harvested into souls for the Kingdom. Many parents will be listening as well, so I hope to present the Gospel in such a way as to reveal to them their need for a savior. I feel completely inadequate. We're expecting around 200 kids. I've never spoken to more than 30 max, but I am encouraged that it is not me who is speaking, but the Holy Spirit who will be speaking through me. I started reading David Platt's new book just in time. In the opening section of the third chapter Platt speaks of the power of the Word of God in the Gospel. He talks about how inadequate he felt when Brook Hills asked him to be their pastor. It was an encouraging word that gave me confidence in the Holy Spirit and the power of the Word to present the Gospel to these kids and their parents.

Obviously your prayers as I prepare to share the Gospel four times in two short weeks would be very much appreciated. Just pray that God would continue to empty me of myself and fill me with the Holy Spirit, and that I would not take lightly the handling of the Gospel.

Also, Friday I get to take a trip with the youth group on their youth retreat. I'm not sure of all the details, but I haven't had a lot of interaction with the youth at the Laurel campus, so it will be something new for me. Pray that I will be able to build new relationships with the youth and pray for the youth that their relationship with Christ would be challenged and strengthened through this conference.

Your prayers and words of encouragement have been so helpful and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I know I can expect only more from you all, and I am so blessed to have so much support. Thank you again!

To God be the glory.

What I Miss the Most

Someone asked me just the other day what I miss the most from home. Well really, time has been going by so fast and I've stayed so busy that I haven't really had a lot of time to think about it. On top of that, the people that I miss most I get to talk to at least once a week on the phone or on Skype. To be honest, I'm hanging in there. But this question got me thinking, and over the last few days I have discovered a few things that I really miss.

1. I miss having my own personal DJ in my car as I drive around town (Christy Graves)
2. I miss playing Rockband with fore mentioned DJ.
3. I miss having someone to watch the races with, or the U.S. Open, or the College World Series (Wahoowa)
4. I miss having mom to tell me about what she's reading and then passing those books to me to sit on my shelf for a year before I get the chance to pick them up. (Can't wait to read Dietrich Bonhoeffer by the way!)
5a. Definitely missing my home cooked meals. My own cooking doesn't extend far past spaghetti or Campbell's Chunky, and the women here at the church are doing a wonderful job at cooking me meals, but absolutely nothing beats a "Jill Meal."
5b. Pop's steak
6. Mike's cheesy jokes
7. Kimmie putting her foot in her mouth
8. Pyper Grace Ogan, and the Ogan family cookouts.
9. Wild Wing's Cafe for the all you can eat lunch buffet with Rick and Tyler.
10. Summer par three golfing.
11. Talking about all the summer movies with everyone at HC7. I don't even know what's worth seeing!
12. The Office, 30 Rock, Coach, and Parks and Rec with my boys on 1st west. Among other things.
13. Quietness, or stillness would be the better word. Everything here is ALWAYS moving.
14. YOKE on Tuesday nights with all my YOKE Folk and YOKE kids.
15. The previous includes Chick-Fil-a on Tuesday nights before YOKE with Jonny Mitch and occasionally Alex. I still eat Chick-Fil-a basically every Tuesday night. But it's just not the same.
16. Frisbee in the mornings at World's Fair Park and playing in the fountains to cool off.
17. Lunch with Madison Snyder and our friend Ellen.
18. All of the greenways with endless miles through the city and the country of Knoxville.

To sum it up, I just miss Knoxville. I'm certain there is more that I will find myself wishing I had here. But I'm not too worried. I'll be home shortly and I know by the time I'm home for 4 weeks I'll be missing Baltimore. It's a catch 22 really. But I'm so glad to be here serving God, and I'm glad that I am missed at home as well. I can't wait to get back to you all.

Be looking for another blog in the next couple of days telling y'all all about week four. I've got some big news coming, and I'm not just saying that as a hook. You'll wanna read to get the low down, I promise. Also, I'm about to finish a book that I will be talking about in my other blog. It will be my first book review. It was a fantastic book and you're going to want to know what it has to say. That can be read in a few more days at www.dougslibrary.blogspot.com so ya better check back soon!

Week Three (3)

Wow, well this week has just flown by. I can't believe I've already been here three weeks. Will someone please check my math on that... This week was more of the same. Planning and getting ready for our missions conference on July 16 and for our sports camp that runs through the first week of July. If you haven't heard the story of me calling the tent rental places, then I will share. If you've heard it, hear it again. I called one of the local party rental places to price tents for our Sunday service to kick off of the sports camp at the downtown campus. Well I had been talking to one lady for a few minutes and she just stops me and says, "You are planning this event in Baltimore, right? Because with your accent I couldn't tell. We had a lady call from North Carolina the other day wanting a tent, and I just wanted to be sure..." So I started laughing, and she chuckled an embarrassed laugh when I explained that I was from Tennessee, but was here for the summer. I've had a few conversations about my accent, the kids like to make fun of me too. But all in all, I'm fitting in pretty well.

Speaking of the kids, I think I've fallen in love. I was able to teach the kids Wednesday night, and boy was that fun! No, really. It was awesome! Attendance was a little low, which helped keep them calmer, but it was great. I gotta say I stole a page from the YOKE handbook and led them in a fun song that allowed them to get all their energy out before I started talking. IT WORKED! They all sat down and said, "I'm tired!" I nodded my head and assured them that was what I was counting on. I got to talk to them about obedience for a few minutes until they got their energy back. We talked about Abraham and Isaac, and how God asked Abe to sacrifice his promised son. This was something hard, but Abraham was willing to obey, and even though it was just a test, Abraham showed himself obedient, and God showed Himself faithful. So I told the kids God asks us to do some pretty hard things too, like love our enemies and forgive those who have wronged us. So then we prayed and played games for the remaining time.

You can keep praying for both the sports camp the first week of July. That is when the group from First Baptist will be here, so you should already be praying for them anyway. Double Jeopardy; what is "two reasons you should be praying for the week of July 3-7?" Also, keep the missions conference in your prayers. Our goal is the make Infinity Church aware of the need to preach the Gospel, and to share with them practical ways they can share the Gospel from day to day, and also to present them with upcoming opportunities to serve on the mission field. Including a trip to Knoxville in August. Thanks so much for your prayers and encouragement. Keep it up!

To God be the Glory