Bobby Lepinay

Baptism and Steely Dan

Sunday was one of the fullest days I can ever remember.  GREAT day.....but I was wiped out by the end of it!  

Here are some of the highlights:

• Not just 'blowing smoke', Sunday at Harvest was SMOKING GOOD across the board.  The thought kept crossing my mind, "So this is what it feels like to be firing on ALL cylinders!"  I had lots of emails, cards, facebook blips of lives being truly changed right now.
• I had only slept 10 minutes Saturday night and was literally 'toast'.  I was not going by what I was feeling, just delivering what I knew God had given me.  I felt the connection, which is always a good thing, the download happening by the Holy Spirit in the heart's of the people.
• Had lunch at Carrabas with Derrick and Jenny Smith, former Overseers at Harvest.  She has written a book and did a book signing Sunday at both services.  FANTASTIC read.  Order it here: http://www.amazon.com/Faraway-Land-Jenny-Hewett-Smith/dp/1456083228/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314131870&sr=8-1
• Went to the Harvest Learning Center Open House with Deb after lunch.  We are at capacity and looking to expand.  Sandra Bloodworth and her team are AMAZING!
• The baptism service at 5pm was beyond wonderful!  This wasnt recycled church people.  These were people who have genuinely been converted at Harvest recently, that God is powerfully working in.  I was blown away by their stories.  What was uber cool was the young boy who came up to me as I was leaving to go to Steely Dan who said, "I became a Christian tonight and want to be baptized."  So Jody and Greg took the cover off the baptism tank, baptized him, and everyone just laughed and ate and enjoyed the Presence of God in our midst!
• As I drove with Pooley to the Warf to see Steely Dan! :) Not the Presence of God, but honestly, one of the best concerts I have ever seen.  Technically perfect, sound CD quality, no question the best true musicians I have ever seen play.  I used to listen to them in High School and they sound even BETTER.  I was amazed at all the young people there as well.  I guess they know quality music from trash? :) I didnt expect much but came away wanting their new album, funky blues, jazz....typical Steely Dan, impossible to define.

Make it a GREAT week!

PB

 

New Youth Service Starting This Sunday!

 

Over the last year, we have been making plans to move our Student Ministries for Junior and Senior Highers to Sunday mornings.  

The time is finally here!

Starting this Sunday, Theater #2 will be the new home for our Harvest Student Ministry, now called "Swith 180".  Adam and Chelsey Sexton and their team are going to do a FANTASTIC job!

Here is what you need to remember:

• Sunday, Aug 21st, SWITCH 180, 10 am service only!

• Doors open in Theater #2 at the Rave Bayou at 9:30am

• INVITE YOUR FRIENDS TO MEET YOU THERE!!!!!

Digging Ditches

Just got back from the Leadership Summit.  The last message of the day was by Stephen Furtick of Elevation Church.  GREAT message on 'digging ditches' out of 2 Kings 3.

Here is what stuck to me:  Elisha told the king to prepare for a flood by digging ditches. God WAS going to move, bring the floods, but first, they had to prepare in faith. The faith move was to dig the ditches in preparation for what the word of the LORD said was yet to come.

God always works this way.  Think about Noah.  God says 'build an ark' while it is sunny outside.  Its going to rain...and rain...and rain.  People thought he was out of his mind.  The list goes on.  If you want to see a few more 'ditch builders', read Hebrews 11, the 'faith chapter'.  

See, the Bible says this about faith: "Faith is the confident assurance of things we hope will happen, the evidence of things we can't see...yet."  (Heb 11:1)

In other words, you step out and do something, HOPING God is going to show up.  You arent sure. With faith, if you are hoping for certainty, you are going to be waiting a long time.  You step out and hope....your heart goes to your throat, you are tortured by thoughts of 'what if this doesnt work'?? You hope God will move.  But you are 'out there', committed.

Your faith has been shown by the tangible act of stepping out and DOING something.

Like building a ditch.

Let me bring it home.  When Deb and I stepped out to start this church, we felt pretty sure God had spoken to us, but not certain.  But we took the step.  We built a ditch.  God filled it.

But I had many a sleepless nights with nightmares of preaching to empty rooms, of looking out the windows and no one showing up after we committed and 'built the ditch'.

What ditches is God calling you to dig right now?  Seriously, take some time to think about it.  Trust me:  You will be in the same exact place next year if you havent dug some ditches for God to fill by faith.  I know I am 'meddlin', but that's what us pastors do! :)

Love you guys!

PB