Two and a half years ago to this date - January 13, 2008 - Bellwether "officially" launched Sunday morning services at the Lakeland Courthouse.  Since that day, we've had many blessings, challenges, and seen God work in great ways.

However, I believe this past Sunday was the most powerful movement of the Holy Spirit I have experienced at Bellwether.  

If you were not there, words can't do it justice.  I encourage you....actually I urge you to listen to the podcast for this Sunday.  It's titled - "How Do I Know if I'm Saved."  Yet it goes much further and deeper than the answer to that question.  

Two things happened in the last two weeks.  First - our Bellwether Worship team led a statewide youth conference.  I was not there, yet I believe they were unified by the Holy Spirit in worship.   They let go and worshipped without constraints.  They saw Him work and change the lives of many young people.  They saw Him work and change the Worship Team.

Second, our team arrived back from Honduras last week.  All we can say is this trip changed us.  It has changed the life of Bellwether.  You will hear, see, and experience more about it in weeks to come.  Yes, it was about helping the poorest of the poor.  Yes we built houses.  Yes we did VBS.  Yes we were involved in Pastor's Conferences.  Most importantly though, it was seeing, feeling, touching, and being touched by the Holy Spirit in the Global Body of Christ.  

The evening before we left, we had a closing banquet where everyone could get up to share.  All I could think and say was - what we think is the "real world" is really not the real world.  Life in the Holy Spirit is the real world.  God wants us to live in that world fully and completely.  He wants each believer to go under and into the fall (you need to hear the podcast).

This is where we are going as a church.  This is what I want for you.  I want you to feel touched and healed by God.  I want your light to shine.  I want you to let go.  I want you to see miracles.  I want to pray and see Ashleigh's friend healed.  I want us to pray for the burdens so many in our church family face - that they will be lifted by God.  I want us to see dead people Raised to new life. 

There is no "if it can happen."  It can.  I believe, I know, it will.

Thank you for your prayers while we were away.  I am convicted more people need to experience this time and place in Honduras.  Bellwether will help individuals and families go.  Again, it's not simply to aid poor people.  We can do that anywhere.  It's to be a in a place where you have to rely on the Holy Spirit, and you see Him move across languages, races, and classes as the Global Body of Christ.  

My prayer is you begin seeing Him more at Bellwether.  He's always been with us.  Yet now it's time to take the next step and move forward in life with Christ by the Holy Spirit.  Let go.  Let Him change you.  Discover the real world in Him.  Bellwether is here to help you take that step.  We will help you wherever you are in your walk.  We will not let go.     

God is leading Bellwether into the fall.  There is no going back.  Everything changed Sunday. 

My family had the experience of going to Washington D.C. this past week.  While we missed our Bellwether family terribly, it was a wonderful time to make some precious memories that will last forever.  Nothing can replace those days we shared without the distractions of life at home.

We each have hectic, crazy lives.  We can easily allow texts, emails, and facebook to replace true, face-to-face relationship.  I have personally experienced how these forms of communication can become the master of my time and my thoughts. Computers, Iphones, and blackberries can become the focus.  While these methods of communication are invaluable and have a well deserved place in our lives, we should hold fast to the words in Hebrews 10:24-25

 “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” 

We meet each other coming and going as we pass a polite sentiment about our intentions to want to spend more time together.  But do we really honor those verses?  Do we really make these relationships a priority in our lives?  Do we value the growth that occurs when we invest our time in our family, friends, and the world around us?  Do we cultivate relationships and learn from each other?  Encouragement, support and accountability are the foundations to a healthy relationship. I believe the only way to “make this happen” is to consciously and intentionally set a date…schedule a time and place for these encounters to happen so the never-ending demands of life are not allowed to steal those precious moments.

Actually, the first date to make, is spending time with God.  Read the Bible, memorize Bible verses, pray…Allow God to show you ways to carve out time to spend with Him.  Pray that He will show you where to set your priorities so that we are able to grow with other Christians.

Another date to make is with your family.  Schedule several meals together in the week.  Take your spouse out for coffee. Meet your children for lunch at school.  Read a Proverbs to you children as they eat breakfast. You don’t have to go to a fabulous place to make these special memories. 

Join a small group of people who can pray for you, share their struggles, or give you encouraging word when you need them.  Invest in a group of people who will miss you when you are gone and make sure are cared for and loved during life’s good and bad seasons.

Serve at a school, your church, or in local mission. Show someone the love of God through giving of yourself and your time.  Give your time to someone who will receive a blessing because of your service. 

This is all part of the RAISE challenge that we have learned so much about over the last few months.  If you look, each of the parts of RAISE are dedicated to prioritizing your commitment to Christ, your family, your church, and the world.  If you are looking for resources to help you in your personal the RAISEd life, find the RAISE table in the foyer at church this Sunday.  This is a journey that we can all make together, encouraging each other each step of the way.

Safe travel

Care for our families while we are gone

That we will be the Hands and Feet of Christ

That we will receive a great blessing as we give

That people will see and come to know Christ through this ministry

Thanks for all your prayers.  We'll be emailing and staying in touch.  We look forward to sharing about this ministry to our church family!

God bless,

John Hugh

As a church, we want to answer for you the questions that are on your mind and heart. 

Here are some examples:  

If we believe Genesis, what about the dinosaurs?  

Are we in end times? 

If God is all good and powerful, why do evil things happen?  

Why does Bellwether call it Family ministry and not Children's ministry?  

And, the one we'll start with on June 13th - How do I really know if I'm Saved?  

Please email your FAQ to jhtate@bellwetherchurch.org.  These will be confidential.  Or, you can write it and not put your name on it and drop it in the offering basket on Sunday.

We hope you'll participate in this sermon series.  We want to know what's on your mind and help you with your questions!  

Thank you, and God bless,

John Hugh 

A recent Presidential Prayer Team article, titled, "In Search of America's Vital Signs" discussed the health condition of our country. They outlined the three "vital signs" that a doctor or a nurse takes to assess someone's physical well being. The three readings are: (1) pulse, (2) temperature, and (3) blood pressure. The assessment of these three readings lets us know how good or bad our overall health is.

Critical Condition

Test results from the article concerning America's health: critical condition. With the attack on Christian public prayer concerning the recent news on the National Day of Prayer, our country is on "life support".

Salt

Our country is on "life support" because the Church in America is on "life support". Christianity is being threatened and we're not doing anything about it. Hardly anyone is standing up for the One who laid down His life for us. Yes, there are some, but not enough. Our nation is decaying because there is not enough "salt". (Matthew 5:13-16). In the health of Jesus' body (the Church), salt is great for blood pressure! We hardly have any pulse left for our Savior and what He gave His blood for.

America is not the only country where Christianity has been threatened. It was threatened in Romania years ago. The Communists were coming to power and they were moving fast to ban Christian worship. They were intimidating anyone who believed in Jesus Christ. Persecuted Christian and founder of "Voice of the Martyrs", Richard Wurmbrand, wrote in one of his books this shocking statement, “The Communists convened a congress of all Christian bodies in our Parliament building. There were four thousand priests, pastors, and ministers of all denominations… One after another, bishops and pastors arose and declared that communism and Christianity were fundamentally the same and could coexist…. 

Note: the bishops and pastors were saying this! He continued to write, "My wife(Sabina) and I were present at this congress. Sabina told me, 'Richard, stand up and wash away this shame from the face of Christ! They are spitting in His face.' I said to her, 'If I do so, you lose your husband.' She replied, 'I don't wish to have a coward as a husband.' Sabina was checking her husband's "vital signs" for Christ the Lord. 

Checking our vital signs

It's time to check our "vital signs". The next two weekends provide great opportunities for Bellwether Church to do so...collectively and individually. Sunday, May 23rd is Pentecost Sunday. You will hear what Pentecost Sunday is all about in John Hugh's sermon discussing our relationship with the Church.

May 30th is Memorial Day weekend. John Hugh will preach about our relationship with our country.

If there were ever a time to pray gut wrenching prayers for our Church & country, it is these next two weekends. It's time we put the blood pressure cuff on our arms and find out if we are willing to "stand up and wash away this shame from the face of Christ!" 

Comments: What are some ways we can do this?

Another not-so-popular aspect of this life lesson is the results of impatience.  Sometimes we feel like our life is in “slow motion” when we choose to exercise patience, but it helps to remember that there are consequences of not waiting for God.  “If you don’t wait on God, it could cost you” has been the tag line for May’s lessons.  The cost can be high and the price may be not experiencing the very BEST things God has in store for you.  Ecclesiastes 7:8 is our memory verse for the month, which says, “The end of a matter is better than it’s beginning. So it’s better to be patient than proud.”  When you begin to live a life in Christ, you start to see how the end result can be directly affected by the choices you make in the beginning. Choosing to wait on God can drastically change the way a situation plays out.

We practice patience in controlling our tongue, our anger, and our deeds (just to name a few).  If we can hold ourselves back and wait for the situation to resolve, it can spare hurt feelings and harsh consequences. I have attached the prayer that the children have prayed during their mornings in their classes. We want to remember the boundless patience our Heavenly Father has with each of us.  He never tires of being patient with us, forgiving our shortcomings, and lavishly giving us abundant life.  We can be so very thankful for God’s example of patience and love for every one of us.

May’s Prayer for Patience

“Dear God, I know it will often be hard, but 

When others do things that are annoying, 

When I find myself in a frustrating situation,

When I don’t know what to do or what move to make,

God, I want to make choices that please You, so 

Thank You, God, for showing us what is right, for forgiving us when we mess up, and for helping us choose the right way the next time. Amen.”

True friendship rocks doesn't it? David and Jonathan's relationship has always fascinated me. These dudes were tight in a big way. Earlier in 1 Samuel we learn of the bond they had together and how they loved each other like brothers. Think for a moment about Jonathan..... His father was the King which meant that one day he would take over. But hold on a second.....God had chosen David to take over...so where's the jealousy and the bitterness that I know I would have had if I knew that my chance at one day being King had been taken away and given to my best friend?

The quick answer is this...there was none. Why? Because Jonathan completely trusted God and he knew God was in control. He knew it, he believed it and he trusted it. Keeping all this in mind, look at verse 16 but first try to really imagine the circumstances and the risks Jonathan was taking. Now for verse 16....And Saul's son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. Wow!!!! Now that's a friend!!! That is the ultimate model of friendship. It says nothing about him going to help his friend find a better hiding place, or take him food or a good CD or the latest jam or People magazine....it just says he helped him find strength in God. Why? Because Jonathan knew that all things are possible with God.

So I guess the bottom line is this. To be the kind of friend we all probably want to be....a true, loyal, trustworthy friend.....we must put God first! I pray we can all be true, loyal and trusting of God because when we put Him first, He will guide us in all our other relationships......and I really can't imagine a better guide...

It's easy to not "stick" to church.  After all, there are so many out there.  So we church hop.  We try different places.  Or we go every other Sunday.  Then we hesitate to commit.  We don't want to sign up for anything.  We don't want to write down our email because the church will start emailing us.  We like our independent space.  

However, if we are to follow Jesus, we can't avoid church.  He calls us to commit to a place, a body.  What does that really mean for us?  We have a relationship with Him, but what is our relationship with a church to be like?  

This Sunday May 23rd is Pentecost.  It is a special day - 40 days after Easter.  On this day, we remember the Ascension of Christ and the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  We will celebrate this Sunday at Bellwether and take communion as Jesus' Family.  

And we'll talk about "Primal Relationships - Church".  The title for the message is "The Source."   We'll see what Jesus Church is, and what our relationship with it should be.  As always, we'll be challenged to go farther - in our walk with Him, and His Church.    

I hope you can be there.  Have a great rest of your week.

In the Ascended Christ,

John Hugh 

We talked about the Primal Relationship with our spouses.  We focused on - how God created marriage to be from the beginning, when marriage is on the rocks, and how to begin healing in divorce.  Such messages are challenging for us all.  Ultimately though, God wants to challenge, convict, and grow us in His Word.  

Whether we're married or not, we need to know what God created marriage to be.  First, He created men and women to be inherently different.  And, it was good - Genesis 1:27.  Second, and more importantly, woman completed man - Genesis 2: 18.  Man was alone, and it wasn't good at all.  As much we may like to fly solo, it's not how God meant it to be.

Third, and most important, God calls the man and woman to "leave and cleave...and be one flesh" - Genesis 2:24.  God says in this relationship, all else is secondary - work, hobbies, even the rest of our family.  The only thing above marriage is our relationship with Christ.  

Then husband and wife are to "cleave" to one another.  Literally this means "to stick."  They are to be one flesh.  Two becoming one is never easy.  Life happens - kids, work, in-laws, sickness, all of it.  Yet a husband and wife can not only cleave in love, they can also cleave in the trials of life.  Fire produces stronger steal.

However, our nature and tendency is to drift apart, even desire to be separate.  I hope at a point all of us can see - that desire to be separate is the sinful nature in us all. That's what Genesis 3 is all about.  That's why Christ came for us all.  There is something in us where we want to be on our own.  My hope is we'll begin to see marriage as God intended it.  If we're in marriage - even if it's on the rocks - I hope we'll see God will fight for our marriage and He wants us to fight for it as well.  

Jesus Himself emphasizes the priority and importance of marriage in Matthew 19: 3-9.  He even quotes those very verses in Genesis.  He wants us to know how important marriage is to God and for us to be totally committed to it.  

Yet He also admits the reality of divorce.  But to those who go through a divorce, He never excludes or condemns.  Instead, He offers love, cleansing, and healing - as when Jesus visits with the woman at the well in John 4.  She had at least 5 husbands.  I can't begin to imagine her brokenness.  Jesus offers her living water.  He offers her healing.  

As His Church, we should do the same.  For people who have gone through - or are going through the trauma of divorce, I want Bellwether to be a place where they can find Jesus and His Living Water.  I want them to be totally healed through Jesus.  In Him, and only Him, it can happen. 

And, I want Bellwether to be a place that supports and grows marriages.  To help people start anew.  To help us see and know how God created marriage to be.

The bottom line for us all is this -to have all this - we need Jesus in our lives. We must accept Him in our heart.  For our life, marriage, or relationships to change - we first need a relationship with Christ.  

For the second most important relationship of your life, I hope we start with the one that is most important - Jesus Christ.

Mother’s Day was a great day to celebrate the love of our mothers-the mother we ALL have, the mothers we are to our children, and the women who pour their life into our children.  We are so blessed to have such a loving Body of Christ at Bellwether. We ALL have a personal interest in the life of Bellwether, especially in the Family Ministry. These children are the future of the Church!  Their upbringing is a community effort, one that I hope we all make a personal investment in through prayer and service.

Please join me as we cover these children, their families, the program, and these volunteers in prayer.  Over the coming months, we will be praying for the families of Bellwether through our small groups. My prayer for this part of our ministry comes from Lamentations 2:19 “…pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord.  Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children,”.   I hope that through prayer, we will find a true relationship and connection with these families and experience ownership and interest in Bellwether Family Ministry!  

We go through God's Word and have good discussion on things we're dealing with.  Anyone is welcome.

If you can't make it, or you miss that morning, we still want you to stay connected - to men at Bellwether, and God's Word.  So, I'm starting a once a week email with a verse from our Bible reading that day and some thoughts on it.  

You can -

Read this as a daily devotion

Comment on it to the other men by hitting reply all

Or delete it

I hope you will read it and even comment with your own thoughts or other Scripture.  Why?  This is a simple way we can incorporate RAISE into our lives - to RISE with GOD.  And if you start, it's a great way we can stay accountable to each other.  I hope you'll take part in this simple way to Rise with God and we all move forward together.

Here it is for this week -

2 Samuel 15: 24-26

"Now behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him carrying the ark of the covenant of God.  And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar came up until all the peole had finished passing from the city.  The king said to Zadok, "Return the ark of God to the city.  If I find favor in the sight of the Lord, then He will bring me back again and show me both it and His habitation.  But if He should say thus, 'I have no delight in you, behold, here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him."  

We talked about this verse in length.  At first, David wanted to take God's ark with him, as if to say - "see - God is with me!"  However, he ultimately realized he had no control over the situation.  If God was for him, he'd take care of things.  If God wasn't, David was at peace with it.

This was a lesson for us - as men - in our tendency to want to control everything.  It's not easy for us to let go and let God.  At least, it's not for me.  David is a great example here of a leader who said - if God is with me, it's going to be okay.  I don't have to try to control the situation.

I pray all of us - as men and leaders of our homes - will have more faith to rely on God and not ourselves.  I pray we will let go of control and let God take over more in our lives.  

Jill, Jeff, and I have spent the past few days in Orlando, FL - not at Disneyworld.  We went to theExponential Conference - www.exponentialconference.com.  It's the largest gathering of new church pastors and church planters in North America.  Over 3000 of us were there.  It was a great time as we heard from inspiring leaders and pastors who are doing tremendous Kingdom work all over the world.  If you want to listen to some of the talks we heard - check out the podcasts on the website. 

One of the biggest take home's for me - and for Bellwether, was shared by a guy named Louie Giglio, who is starting a new church in the Atlanta area.  He said as individual Christians and churches, we don't fully realize all we have.  What do we have?  1) God's Word, 2) we've witnessed the Resurrection of Jesus, and 3) the Holy Spirit.  

I mean you may not realize it, yet when you think of it, it's amazing.  We have God's Word.  The Creator of the Universe has given these Words to us in the Bible and speaks to us through them.We've witnessed the Resurrection of Jesus.  Yes, we weren't actually there, but we've witnessed His Resurrection in our own New Life, and seeing people find Salvation in Him.  And we have the Holy Spirit - the Counselor, the Comforter, the Sustainer - who will be with us forever and guides us to Truth.  

So my question for us all is - do we realize all we have?  Do we tap into it?  If we don't, why not?  When are we going to start?  I pray all of us realize the full power God has given to us as His children, and as His churches.   

Have a great weekend and see you Sunday.  We'll be celebrating a baptism, and closing out our 7 Deadly Sins series.  The final sin we'll discuss is Lust.  Hope you can be there. 

In Christ,

John Hugh 

The season of lent is such an important time in our Christian faith.  The forty days prior to the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior.  Lent begins the day after Fat Tuesday.  We often think about giving something up during lent...foul language, fatty foods, alcohol, etc..... Lent is often called of time of stripping ourselves of all the excesses in life and getting back to the basics:  A TRUE one on one relationship with Christ.  It is so important for us to have a personal relationship with Christ wether in our daily prayers or devotion time.  I think it was about a year ago during one of our men's group morning studies that I heard Chris Kellum say that each morning when he gets up he ask  God to just fill him with his Holy Spirit in everything that he did in the coming day.  WOW!  What a great way to start each day.  I have really tried to do this the past year and I promise it works.  I have thought long and hard prior to some  decisions and actions I have made this past year.  Of course I am not saying I have been perfect but I promise my relationship with Christ has grown stronger and it has made a direct impact on my life and on family and friend relationships.  I hope during this season of Lent we can all get rid of some the excesses in our life and get back to the basics.  A basic one on one relationship with Christ.  May God Bless everyone in this season with answered prayers, healed relationships, and closer walk with Christ.

Psalms 27: 11-14

11  Teach me your way, O Lord, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.  12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breath out violence. 13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  14.  Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage; and he shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!


Thanks and May God Bless each of you.

By Jill Bowdon

  In February, the children of Bellwether are learning about Honor.  Honor is defined in our lessons as “letting someone know you see how valuable they really are”.  I have been wondering this month…do I honor God?  Do I show him how valuable and important He is in my life?  Do I honor others?

  Deuteronomy 6:5 says:  “love the Lord Your God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”  If we truly love God this way, that honors Him.  It places value on the relationship we share with Him. Putting Christ in the center of our lives and daily submitting to His will for us.... is honor.

  Our monthly virtue also calls us to honor others.  When God comes into our lives and we honor Him, we naturally love others.  Romans 12:10 says:  “love each other deeply.  Honor others more than yourselves.”  This love is the kind of love Jesus modeled to us in His death on the cross.

  I pray during this season of Lent, we show honor by devoting our lives to Christ.  We can spend time in His Word each day.  We can love and respect our family.  We can support our church and our small groups.  We can show His love to others in the world who may not know Jesus.  This is how we can honor our Lord not only during Lent, but throughout our lives.

John 15:4a:  Remain in me, and I will remain in you.

What does it mean to remain?  The New Oxford American Dictionary defines the word "remain" as this:  continue to exist, esp. after other similar or related people or things have ceased to exist.  The word is derived from the Latin word "manere" which means "to stay."  

How do we remain with a friend?  We maintain contact with them.  By snail mail, email, text messages, Facebook, telephone conversations, and face to face interactions. Of this list, consider which forms of contact lead to the deepest, most long-lasting relationships.  Also, think of your very best friends.  How often do you have contact with them?     

How do we remain with God?  Two very important ways are to study His Word and to pray.  By studying His Word, we see the heart of God and what is important to Him. Through His Word we find answers.  Through prayer, we have a conversation with God, and we open ourselves to His leading.  We submit our will to His.

To assist me in "remaining" with God, I am setting my phone to beep every hour reminding me to connect.  In these moments I have an opportunity to praise Him, ask for help in a difficult situation, or just say "hey."  Over time, hopefully this will become a habit that will not require an alarm to remind me and will happen more often than every hour.

In this Lenten season, please consider adding a spiritual discipline to your routine to find a place in your heart and spirit where you can remain with Him.  

This Sunday, I'm starting a new 5 week series based on these questions.  It'll be called - "Real World + No Time = More Jesus."  As in - does God, or Jesus, really matter in the real world of our lives (I know many of you would say of course He does, yet many others really do ask that question)?  And - "with kids, family, work, and friends, where can we find time to grow with God?

Those are great questions.  And very pertinent to our lives today.  Does God matter in a world where there are earthquakes in Haiti, the water goes out in Jackson, and life seems consumed with taking care of kids, getting to and from work, and never - seemingly - getting ahead.

Of course He matters.  But how does He?  And how can He helps us deal with those things are more?  That's what we - the church - need to help people with.  If we don't, we're not doing what Jesus calls us to do.  

So, even in the very real world we live in with zero time, I believe if we commit to 5 things we will grow more in Christ and our lives would change. They might seem simple, but they're really not.  Each would take time, discipline and change for us.  But if we were to commit to them and live by them, God would be more real to us and He would use us in greater ways.  They are -   

Time - Spend personal time with God

Family - Never let your family take a backseat in your life.

Church - Commit to a local church body

Group - Have a small group of believers for support 

Go - Love people who don't know Jesus

The next 5 Sunday's we'll look at each of these.  This week our focus is on our Personal Time (or lack of) with God.  The title to the message is "Closet Talk"  Here's some Scripture I'll be using if you'd like to read ahead - 

Psalms 139: 1-16

Jeremiah 29: 11-14

Matthew 6: 5-15

Luke 11: 9-13

Luke 18: 1

My hope would be for our entire church to commit to those 5 things.  However, I'm realistic enough to know to do them takes time.  But that's what we're here for.  If we did, not only would lives change, but our church would make a tremendous impact for the Kingdom.  And that's what Jesus calls us to do.  

I look forward to starting Real World + No Time = More Jesus.  I look forward to making a commitment to those 5 things.  I look forward to seeing how God grows us through it.  

Luke 18:1

"Now He (Jesus) was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart."

What a simple yet profound verse.  Pray at all times and not to lose heart.  How often do we do this?  How much time to devote to prayer?  Do we really believe it works?  How easy is it for us to "lose heart?"  

Jesus was clear - pray at all times, so we won't lose heart.  Prayer works.  Prayer is effective.  Prayer produces results.  And, the the more we pray the less we "lose heart."  Why?  Because we will see results.  Because we will grow in God - He will speak to us, direct us, and help us to know He is with us.  

We've seen the results of prayer in our larger church family.  We've prayed to have a place to worship where we can reach people.  We weren't sure where to go.  We prayed.  And God opened a door.  Yesterday we worshipped and celebrated our first service at Jackson Academy's Performing Arts Center.  It was, and is, an answer to prayer.  From here, we must continue to pray - that we are always good stewards of that facility, that we are bold enough partner with God to reach people and fill this space, and that whatever happens - we never lose heart.  

God is always at work.  We've seen this over and over again.  He is greater than any doubt, discouragement, or depression we face.  I've seen God answer individual and family prayers within our church.  Prayer works.  I hope you will believe in it, and practice it daily - for our church, for your family, for your life.  

May we all be people of constant prayer.  In doing so, may God show us that in Him, we never have to lose heart.  

If you are in need of water - we do have several crates of bottled water at our Fondren space.  Let us know or come by and pick some up.  Also, many people in our Bellwether family are opening their homes for showers and washing.  If you need to go somewhere, let me know and I can put you in touch with someone.  

Please continue to pray for the people of Haiti and relief workers traveling down there.  Another great way to give and serve is through Samaritan's Purse.  You can check out their website to see all they are doing and a way to give - www.samaritan.org.

And, we are worshipping in the Performing Arts Center at Jackson Academy this Sunday. 10:30am.  I hope you can be with us, and please invite any family, friends, and those in need of finding the real Jesus.  It will be a great morning of worship, baptism, and communion.  I'll continue "Vision Anew" with an aptly titled message called "Living Water."  I look forward to seeing you there as we take this next step in our life as a church family.

Finally, it has been an extraordinary blessing to see how God has blessed Bellwether.  He's provided a wonderful place to worship, a great community space in Fondren, a full-time Family and Youth leader.  When you step back to look at it, it is humbling.  However, with all He has given us, I pray we always remained focused on keeping it simple.  That we simply - love Jesus and love people.  We can easily get consumed with spaces, programs, sound, seating, and all that makes a church happen.  Yet, ultimately, we are called to love Jesus, and love people.  That's all there is to it.

I look forward to doing that with you this Sunday, and beyond.  

Call on us if you need water, or anything else.

God bless,

John Hugh  

Jeff is a native of Jackson, graduated from Jackson Academy and then Mississippi State.  He went to seminary at Wesley Biblical Seminary & has served in multiple youth ministry roles over the past 5 years as he helped lead the student ministry at Christ United Methodist Church here in Jackson.  It is a blessing to have he and his family at Bellwether.  I hope you'll take time over the next few weeks to greet Jeff and Whitney and welcome them to our church.  

You'll be hearing more about our youth ministry soon as we'll kick it off in the next month.  Please stay tuned to dates & times.  More importantly, pray for Jeff and Whitney as they transition, for Jeff as he leads our youth ministry, and for the students he will impact.  

Also, I hope you get a chance to listen to last Sunday's sermon on podcast.  I talked about it being a new year and how we all have a tendency to make the annual New Year's resolutions.  Many of which easily turn into "February fabs."  

However, all of us at times struggle in our spiritual walk.  We have the "come to Jesus moment," perhaps we get baptized, and put our faith in Him. And then we become stagnant, or don't grow as we'd like, or simply think there should be more - to Christianity, the Church, or Jesus Himself.  

There is!  And He wants us all to experience it.  In the message, I highlighted 5 things you can do that I believe - I know - will help you meet, find, or discover anew the real Jesus.  They are - 

1) Personal Devotion/Prayer Time - 20, 30, 40 minutes a day.  "We don't have time."  We've all said that.  We all have time - we just need to rearrange our schedule to what's most important - our relationship with Him.

2) Family Time - We can spend all our time and energy on work and leave out what's most important - the primary relationships in our lives.  Jesus wants to have strong marriages, children, and healthy relationships throughout our families.  We must devote time to make happen.

3) Commit to a Church - having a church family is vital for growth.  Taking the step and saying - "God has called me here.  I want to commit my time, talents, and tithe to what God is doing here."  We are thankful many of you have made such a commitment to Bellwether and hope many more will take that step.  Ultimately though, we want you - and will do all we can to help you - find a church home where you can grow and serve. 

4) Be part of a Group.  We all need a small group of believers to encourage us and hold us accountable.  This doesn't have to be at Bellwether, but I hope you'll think and pray about being part of a group of believers who will love you through thick and thin and that you can share your struggles with. It's essential.

5) Go to others.  All of us know people who need a church, a family, or who simply need to see the love of Christ.  Are we inviting them to church?  Are we showing Him to them?  And, I also believe all of us know people who need to find Christ.  Are we going to them?  Are we loving them?  Going - is a great challenge for all of us in the new year. 

Again, I believe these 5 things - if you commit to them, will help you grow in your walk with the Christ.  I pray you will pray about them and ultimately commit to them.  You will be hearing about them more at Bellwether in weeks and months to come!  

Hope you are having a great week, and God bless,

John Hugh 

The message of Christ, the Gospel, is always about new things, new starts, new life in Him.  In this new year, we hope you will discover Him anew, or for the first time.  We hope wherever you are or whatever you've done - you will know and discover - new life in Christ.   

May you and your family have a safe and blessed New Year.  

I hope you'll start the new year off this Sunday at Bellwether at Jackson Academy.  We will worship there at 10:30am.  Please continue to invite friends and family to worship.  This is a time when people are thinking about and making new starts - in life and at church.  We'd love for them to worship with us, discover a family, and find Jesus at Bellwether.  

Sunday January 3rd is Epiphany, traditionally when the Church remembers the coming of the Wise Men to Bethlehem.  Our message begins with this passage in Matthew 1 yet will focus on our lives today as we start this new year.  The title is:  "Searching vs. Giving"    

And, we'll announce our new Youth Leader and Ministry - so I hope you can be with us Sunday! 

Happy New Year, and God bless,

John Hugh

Luke 2:  6-7

"While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."  

Is there room?  

The humility of Christ always blows me away.  When He was born, there was no grand entrance.  God didn't come down and say - make room for my Son!  Give Him the best place, with the best services, the best care, and make sure His birth announcement is proclaimed all over the civilized world.  

No, Jesus entered the world humbly, with little fanfare.  Not only did He not have the best room, He had no room at all.  He was born outdoors, amidst animals, in the dark, cold night.  His first crib was, at best, in a feeding trough.    

The humility of Jesus the Man can blows us away too.  He never thumped His chest.  He never gloated.  He never forced anyone to come to Him.  He never said - I deserve the best.  He never tried to force Himself into any place, or anyone's life.  He simply said - "Follow Me" or "I have come that you would have life, and have it abundantly," or "whoever drinks of the water I give will never thirst" and "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live, even if he dies."  

The humility of Jesus, living today, is most striking.  When you see Him living in the life of a person you can witness tremendous love, peace, forgiveness, and inner strength.  It is a changed life.  Yet, Jesus is never overbearing.  He still does not try to make room for Himself.  But He is with us, and He is always calling out to us.  He simply wants us to surrender - and make room for Him.  

Today, tonight, tomorrow, as we celebrate Christmas, I hope we open the door for Christ in our homes, our families, and our lives.  He won't force it open, but He is knocking.  Will we receive Him?  Will we make room for Jesus?  

He has given us everything - life itself.  I hope we all give Him our hearts.

Merry Christmas

Luke 2: 10-11

"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."  

"A Wonderful Life"

I love Christmas movies.  So much so, my wife is officially burned out of them.  Well...almost.

However, one I watch each holiday season is "It's a Wonderful Life."  Yes it is overly sentimental, but it has a great message - both for the Christmas season and as you might begin to consider New Year's resolutions.  

The premise, as you may know, is Jimmy Stewart's character - George Bailey, being down on his life and contemplating suicide.  Ultimately an angel intervenes and shows just how much of an impact his one life has had on so many others - his family, town, and even the world at large.    

I bring this up for three reasons.  The first being the main point of the film.  Our lives matter.  Every day, we have the gift and the potential to affect, shape, and influence others' lives and the community around us.  So, if you happen to be in George Bailey's shoes - a little down on their life, the hand you've been dealt, that you're not making a difference in people's lives.....think again.  You are.  Your life touches many and your future brings unlimited potential to give even more.

Second, and more importantly, your life matters to God.  So much so that He sent a Savior - for all people.  This Savior wasn't just born in Bethlehem and then died on a cross.  He lives today and can reside in your heart.  That is - "Good news of Great Joy."  That is - "God with us."  Then, now, and forever.  

And lastly, your life can not only help people here on earth, but can make an eternal impact.  Through Jesus, your life can help lead others into a relationship with Him.  Which can lead them to a changed life, a different life, an abundant life with Him, and eternal life in heaven.  There is nothing in this world greater which we could do or give our lives to.   

So at Christmas, I hope you know your life matters.  You matter to God.  You can make a difference in people's lives today.  And through Christ, your life can make an eternal impact which lasts forever.  In Jesus, today and for eternity, it is a wonderful life.   

John 3: 16-17

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him."  

Free Gifts

Nothing is free, we say.  Or we live in a world which indirectly hints - nothing is really free.  "You may give me something, but really, truly, you're getting something in return."  Nothing is really free. 

I'm sure folks say or think might think this as Bellwether gives out free coffee today at Cups and Broad Street.  Someone will come to the counter, buy a cup of coffee, and they'll say - it's free, on Bellwether Church.  Then they'll be given a card - with our logo, our website, and the time of our Christmas Eve service.  And they'll say - "see, it's not really free, they're getting my attention, they're getting their name out, they really would like something in return....my interest, my presence, my commitment."  

I understand those thoughts.  But....the coffee is still free.  It's a free gift on us, and ultimately we do it so one, two, or hundred people might glimpse even more slightly the free gift of Jesus given for us all.  

John Wesley once said - "Nothing is more repugnant to capable, reasonable people than grace."  How true.  We're reasonable, rational, and even cynical, flawed human beings.  Nothing is free we say.  

Except His grace, given in His Son.  This is the miracle of Christmas. God really did love us so much as to come to us and save us in His Son.  What does He give in Jesus?  Forgiveness of everything we've done.  Yes, every bad thing.  That skeleton too.  He gives us new life in the present.  Any day, any hour, any moment, we can give our life over to Him and change.  Anytime.  And, He gives us a future of hope - in this world, and for eternity.  

It costs nothing of us.  It requires nothing of us, but believing He loved us that much.  

When you get down to it, in this world, nothing is free.  Everybody wants something.  But the Good News, the Great News, is God transcended that darkness with His Light and turned everything upside down. His love, His grace, His life - now and for eternity - is free.  

May we receive it at Christmas.    

2 Corinthians 4: 6

For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."  

This time of year, we see lights all around.  Tomorrow night, our family will go around to look at Christmas lights.  It's becoming an annual tradition.  Some homes go for the small and subtle.  Others go for the Griswold affect.  Regardless, I love seeing the homes, buildings, yards, and trees lit up this season. 

However, the real Christmas experience for anyone is the turning on of the Light within. This can only come from the Spirit of the indwelling Christ.  It was, and is, His incoming which makes the difference between a darkened inn and a glorified stable.  

Before we go on with our final Christmas preparations this week, let us ask ourselves whether the real Christmas has come to us.  Are we just going through the motions of getting ready for family, the bartering of gifts, a forced holiday, or will we have the real experience which makes Christmas a true joyous occasion. That is - Christ taken in and then given out.  It is only Him who will make Christmas genuine - for us and others.  

If you have the gift Paul wrote about - that "God shone in our hearts" - then the light must be passed on.  And there is someone you know who needs to see His light.  Someone lonely, discouraged, or heart-sick.  Maybe someone who has little love and joy right now.  Christmas is the time where we can not only realize what God has done in us, but let it shine to those around us who need it most.   

I hope we will let His light shine, and show Jesus this week.  

1 John 4: 9-11

"By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has given His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."

My wife challenged me for Christmas.  Instead of buying her a present, she wants me to make her something.  Memories are what she wants for Christmas, she says.  When you get down to it - that can be tougher than trying to pick out the best gift!  It takes more time, thought, and creativity. Which is the very reason behind her request.  

So, I have something in the works.  It will be different than anything I've ever given her.  It's not bought at a store but was conceived in my own thoughts.  I hope she'll like it.

That said, her request has made me think about what we give to the people we love - at Christmas or otherwise.  We've all heard it before how spouses, fathers, mothers, siblings, or even friends can try to "buy our love."  As in give go out and buy a great gift for those who are supposed to be the most important, but don't give those things which are truly more precious - time, thoughtfulness, respect, and devotion.  

So, I think we should all take the season of giving to think about what we give others.  I don't mean the second or third cousin you have to get that gift for.  Go ahead and get the sweater.  But those who are supposed to be those closest to us - our spouses, parents, siblings, dear friends.  Do we give them genuine love?  Do we give them time?  Do we give them our creativity?  Do we give them memories to hold on to?  Or do we just buy that expensive gift?  

God gave us the greatest gift - He loved us enough that He came to us and lived with us.  Then He gave an even greater gift by giving His life for us.  In thinking & realizing what He gave us, let us attempt even more to give gifts of genuine love to those who mean the most to us.   

John 1: 4-5

"In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.  The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." 

For the first day in what seems like forever, the sun came out.  Even cold and inside, it was great to see.  This is the time of year when the sun goes down the earliest.  With the rain and clouds, it can sometimes lend (even in the Christmas season) to a time of loneliness and isolation. 

With that, there have been several deaths in our extended church family.  Loved ones have passed relatively early in life from cancer.  Others we know have lost parents, children, grandchildren, and newborn babies recently.  

In such times, it is easy to think and believe light has gone out of or is not in our world.  That there is no hope.  That we are here to simply make do and trudge on until our time on this earth is up.  

Which is the very reason why we should be celebrating at Christmas.  Even in darkness, even in death, Light entered into our world.  We could have been left alone here to fend for ourselves, yet the God of the universe chose to enter into our world.  He came to us - as a little baby, andsubjected Himself to the trials, hardships, and darkness of this world - even death on a cross.  

Why celebrate at Christmas?  Because Light came into our world.  And His Light is here to stay.  In the midst of any darkness, confusion, and death we face, He is with us.  "God with us" - Immanuel.  

May we know this, and Him who is Light.  

Colossians 2: 9-10

"For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority."

Do We Really Know? 

Every Christmas season, we celebrate the birth of the Christ Child.  We see images of mangers, angels, and shepherds.  We think of all Mary and Joseph went through in getting to Bethlehem, and then escaping to Egypt.  We wonder what it was like.  And we sing songs about a baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.  But does it really hit us who He was?  

Does it hit us that He was fully and totally God - in human form - as a baby.  If we're honest, I don't think we can wrap our heads around that.  Yet He was.  He was both a baby, a man, and God.  God who humbled Himself enough to come to us - so we could be made complete.  

How can we be made complete?  When we realize how much He loves us.  That He knows us intimately, is present with us now, and will never leave us.  That He has forgiven us.  Of everything.  That we don't have to dwell on past hurts, or disappointments, or sins.  He loves us anyway.  He has prepared a place for us.  We can live forever with Him in heaven.  And we can have fullness of life - starting today - by believing in that baby, who was Immanuel - "God with us." 

Do we really know all He has given us?  When we do, our life will change.  It will be made complete.  

Romans 10:10 - "for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."  

This Advent Season, we're doing a series on faith called "Believing is Not Seeing."  I read this verse this morning and it spoke to me about real, true faith.  It says - 'with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness.'  As in, real faith is not in our actions, or in our words.  It always starts and lives and grows in a person's heart.  If you possess that faith, that belief in your heart, then it results in acts of righteousness.  It's never the other way around.  You can act, and do, and say, and still not have real faith.  

Real faith, true faith, faith in Christ - starts in the heart.  It will change your life. 

In this season, I hope all of us take time to evaluate our faith.  Do we really believe?  Do we believe in the manger, angels, shepherds, and the Virgin birth?  Or is it just a good bedtime story?  It did happen.  Having faith in Him who came will change our life.  

How can you know, you might say?  We weren't there.  We didn't see it.  We can truly know, in our hearts, as God speaks to us.  

I hope this season we will know Him in our hearts.  I hope you will hear Him speak to you.  I hope we will believe even more in Him, the Christ Child, without seeing.  

Monday November 30, 2009 - "Who God Is"

Romans 2: 4

"Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance." 

I read this verse this morning and it spoke to me.  First, in what it says about God.  It says God is kind, tolerant, and patient.  Do we think of God in those terms?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  But it's who He is.  His nature is kindness.  He is tolerant of us.  Wherever we are in our lives, whatever we've done, He will always receive us as His children if we come to Him.  Above all, He is patient.  He is always waiting.  He does not push us, or force us to come to Him.  He is always there, but He gives us the gift to come to Him, find Him, and serve Him in our own time. 

Yet even more striking to me is the end of the verse - that 'the kindness of God leads to repentance."  How is God kind to us?  He gives His love freely.  He gives us grace from the sin in us.  Above all, His love and grace was manifested in the giving of His Son Jesus Christ.  When we know how much God gives, and how much He loves us, it leads us, compels us, to repent.  

I hope we can know God's kindness to us in a new way this Advent.  And I hope we're inspired and challenged to live lives of kindness, tolerance, and patience to others.  

I always share a short homily during every ceremony.  Let me emphasize short.  I'm a believer the focus is on the bride and groom.  Sermons are meant for other times.  But in this homily I always use Scripture - the verses on a man and woman becoming one flesh in Genesis 2, Jesus emphasizing this in Matthew 19, and the love passage in 1 Corinthians 13.  However, at the end, I always tell every couple - as good as love is, sometimes love will be a choice.  Sometimes you have to choose to love.  Yes, love is romantic, especially on the wedding day.  Yes, love is emotional and powerful.  But sometimes, especially in the valleys and challenges that come with any marriage, and really any relationship, love has to be a choice.  

The husband and wife must choose to remember the covenant, not the promise, the covenant, they made with one another and God when they walk down the aisle.  God takes the covenant seriously and He fights for marriages - through prosperity and adversity, for better and worse.  My hope is that all couples, and all marriage, will remember the covenant they made with each other and God.  That on the day or the week or the month or the year when it is difficult to love, they will continue to choose an un-selfish, Christ-like love.  

I'm writing this too because Linda's and my 5 year anniversary is coming up.  I'm in a fairly reflective mood on marriage.  It is a wonderful thing.  It was started by God at the beginning and blessed by Jesus.  But know this:  it will stretch you.  It will change you.  It should not be entered into lightly, or even thoughtfully, but reverently.  And I'm I believer if it is to truly work as God intended it, "for the two to become one," then there are things within the original two that must be put to death.  Sometimes that may not happen until well into the marriage itself.  But if the two are willing to make those sacrifices, and give of themselves, marriage....and life...will be better than they ever imagined.  

That is my hope, and prayer, for every wedding and life together.  

Now, I also have dear friends, family members, loved ones, who've gone - and are going through - the trauma of divorce.  Sometimes, after all other avenues have been exhausted, it is necessary.  But that will take more room and time than I have here, so it will be the subject of my next blog. 

First, we shared our next space for Sunday morning worship will be Jackson Academy's new Performing Arts Center!  This will be a phenomenal opportunity for us.  We'll have use of a space where we can have powerful worship, multi-media, film, arts, dance, drama, and preach the message of God's Kingdom in Jesus to the wider community. 

More than simply a space though, we're excited about the opportunities to partner with Jackson Academy.  This as a partnership to reach people in the wider community - whether families at the school who need a church home, people in surrounding neighborhoods, or people in the apartments and park across the street.  All of them need to see and know the real Jesus.  Our aim at Bellwether for Sunday morning worship is to use what God has given us - our gifts and resources - to creatively communicate the Gospel to the world around us.  We look forward to being at Jackson Academy - first on Sunday December 6th, and then January 10th being our target date for the first Sunday worship in the new performing arts center.

But Sunday worship is only part of our vision.  For some time, we've felt the need to grow our Family ministry.  We want to provide unique opportunities to grow in Christ for our children, youth, families, and all those outside our church who we want to reach.  With the move to Jackson Academy, there will be more opportunities to minister to youth and their families.  Thus, we've made the commitment to bring on board a full-time Family Ministry leader and Youth leader.  This will strengthen our ministry staff team, as well as have the leaders in place to grow this area of need in the life of our church.  Currently, we're in the process of talking to leaders who will be able to fill these needed roles.  

And finally, we see the need to have a "community hub" for Bellwether.  To be part of and live in a local community Monday through Saturday - so folks can hang out, have worship & music, Bellwether group gatherings, youth events, and simply be part and give to the life of an existing community.  For this reason, Bellwether has committed to securing a local gathering space in the Fondren area.  More about this will come soon, but we're excited about Bellwether's Monday to Saturday hub where we can be missional and help people in that community see the real Jesus.  

All of this is exciting.  We are literally seeing and being part of God growing and moving a church.  However, we always have to go back to the why of what we are doing.  That's simple - to Lead the World to Jesus and His Church.  In so doing, bringing new life in Christ - to individuals who are searching, families who are struggling, a community in need, and to a world looking for light.  It all starts with Christ pursuing and invading a person's life so it changes them, their family, and their world.  

Why are we doing all this?  Not simply to build a new, great church.  But to help people in Metro Jackson and beyond see Jesus. Helping people in need see, know, love, and give their life over to Him.  

God is leading us to this next step.  We are taking it.  I'm excited about all it will bring - to the local Jackson community, to Bellwether, but most of all to the lives of our people and families.  I look forward to seeing Jesus in an even greater way. 

This is happening more and more.  It's a testament - and opportunity - that church starts in the home with parents talking to their children about their faith. 

Back to the original question - what do you say?  I'll start with what I would say. Simply put - I believe the Bible.  I believe Adam was the first man.  I acknowledge all those other things - dinosaurs and cavemen - happened - but I believe the Biblical account of creation.  

In addition, sometimes we can focus on the "minors" of our faith in stead of the "majors."  The majors being - the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ to bring salvation to the world.  The minors being - things like Genesis/creation, Noah's ark, parting of the Red Sea, etc.  We don't fully know these things - with our reason.  One day we will.  For now, we can rely on faith.

Yet, for the Genesis/creation question - I believe there is, in fact, a sound, reasonable answer you can share with your children, family, and friends.  And it can be fun for some of us to discuss and thing about.  Many people smarter than me have studied Genesis 1 and there are three primary "schools of thought" and two can rationalize our Christian faith with some form of science.  Here they are - 

1) That God created the entire heavens & earth in a mere 6 days in Genesis 1: 1-31.  That each day is a literal, 24 hour periods.  How?  For one, the word "day" throughout Genesis 1 in its original Hebrew did mean - literally - a 24 hour day.  Thus, why would the Bible not state the truth?  People who believe in the original 6 day creation give the supporting arguments of:  putting God's Word over science, God's ability to do supernatural work, and that death started in Adam.  Death was never intended for humans or animals.  Death only came after the fall of Adam and God's creation was corrupted. 

2) God created the entire heavens & earth.  However, the 6 days in Genesis 1 were thousands of years each.  They were not literal 24 hour days.  Scripture passages can support this view.  Psalms 90 says:  "For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night."  2 Peter 3: 8 says - "But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day."  Supporters of this argue it reconciles Biblical truth with scientific evidence.  Thus things like the big bang theory and dinosaurs were possible within the "6 days of creation."

3) Last, many believe everything happened literally in Genesis 1 - exactly the way it was told.  However, there was a huge "gap" between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2 of thousands and thousands of years where many things - dinosaurs, big bang, etc, happened.  So, in Genesis 1:1 - God created the heavens and the earth.  After that - things did not go well for thousands of years - the earth was "formless and void and darkness covered the face of the deep. (Gen. 1:2)"  Therefore God began to "re-create" his original creation to make it better.  In those thousands of years between Genesis 1:1  and 1:2 you have many of those things your learn in science classrooms - the big bang, dinosaurs, animal suffering during this period etc.  And at a point God said - I am going to make this world even better and began the six day process of creation - ending with the creation of man.  At this point God restored the world so death would not happen - until the fall of Adam which brought death and corruption into the world.

I know many Christians who believe one of these viewpoints.  Personally, I tend to lean to #3.  For me it reconciles best the literal truth of God's Word with the God given gifts of science and reason (God did give us a mind to use).  More important though - I look at this as one of the "minors" with the "major" being God came into our world as Jesus Christ to start the process of renewing this broken world until He one day comes again and fully brings His Kingdom with Him unto this earth.

However, for our kids, and our families, it's helpful to have a general understanding of Genesis and creation.  Because it's being brought up more and more in our schools.  And this shows parents and families - faith, and church - really can start in the home.   

However, I'm not used to writing that much regularly - and having it for anyone to see.  But I'm stepping out in faith.  What I say may not interest you at all.  I will try to not make it boring, while always keeping it respectful (because many blogs i happen to read aren't).  If nothing else, it will keep you updated on where we are going as a church family.  

That said, very excited about the next two week at Bellwether.  This Sunday, I'm preaching a sermon that has really fired me up.  It's what to do in those times in our lives where we feel depression, anxiety, or just "stuck in a rut."  We'll be using passages in Colossians 1, 1 Peter 5, and Luke 21-22.  

In addition, we're having a special Sunday this week as we showcase our mission to Honduras with Salt and Light ministry.  Henry Alvarenga - the director of this ministry in Honduras will be with us.  We'll pray over him, and show a video where everyone can see the work being done for the poorest of the poor in rural Honduras.

Next week, am every excited about Bellwether's Fall Family Retreat at Timber Creek Camp outside of Jackson.  We went there a few weeks ago on a Sunday.  This time we'll stay overnight.  There will be more frisbee golf, rock climbing, some team games, campfire, smores, worship, and kids seeing adults & their parents do some crazy stuff.  

And finally, we are closing in on Bellwether's new worshipping home!  I'm hopeful we can announce in the next week or so.  If you're reading this - please say a prayer God continues to lead and open up doors for this new church & family of faith.

There.  That wasn't so bad.  Looking forward to what is to come.  

God bless,

John Hugh

1) Thankful to the Courthouse.  They have given us a year and a half of Sunday mornings for Worship and Family space, and to grow as a church family.  It is hard to believe so much has transpired there from those first cold mornings in December and January when we transformed their old "day care center" into a worship space.  Relationships began and grew there - from children to adults.  I have wonderful memories:  of our kids running around the Courthouse gym, visiting with people before and after the service, arriving early with a set-up crew, and simply how we grew as a church and a family in that special place.  Our prayers will continue to be with the Courthouse as they grow as an organization.

2) How God worked and moved there.  Most importantly, new people have gone further in a relationship with Christ there.  My son was baptized there.  We had many more baptisms - from infants, to adults.  On Easter morning, 7 people were baptized in the Courthouse pool.  New life happened there.  We have seen people grow into more mature leaders of Christ - to lead groups, to lead ministries at Bellwether, and we have seen new people begin a walk with Him.  It has been amazing to have a "front row seat" and watch this transformation take place. 

3) The Church is truly not a building.  With all that said, I was not sad at all to leave the Courthouse.  That's because we've come to see church is not a building.  It's a family.  It's about the people present, not the wall which enclose them.  It is about people going out, moving, God sending.  In fact, church is not even only about Sunday morning.  It should be about Monday - Saturday, who you are with, who you serve, what you do, and then as a family come together and celebrate on Sunday.  I know the next place we go - to the Ag Museum - and then beyond - the Holy Spirit will be with us, transformation will continue to happen, and we will be Jesus' Church.  

4) Excitement about where God is leading.  With that knowledge, I'm excited about where God is leading us.  We will be making changes and entering into a time of transition.  First, we will be in the MS Agriculture Museum.  But not forever.  We will be moving into a more permanent home for the next few years of our life together.  It will be a place where we can effectively minister to children, youth, and have powerful worship, and use multi-media, while our Bellwether groups continue to meet in homes during the week.  We hope to know in the next month about where that place will be.

5) Because this is a time of change, and because we have big decisions coming up as a church family, I challenged our family yesterday to spend 30 Days of Prayer together.  Each day in the next 30 days, lift up at least one prayer for Bellwether.  I want us to be covered in prayer as we make these moves.  I want us to completely look to and rely on our Heavenly Father for direction and guidance.  I want us to know the full power of prayer.  I want us to be changed from the inside out.  I want us to be different - to believe in prayer, its results, and that it changes lives, families, churches, and communities.   

Finally, in today's Divine Mentor Reading, my verse was 2 Chronicles 31: 21 - "Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in law and in commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and prospered."  

This is about King Hezekiah, who reformed God's house after it had been desecrated for many years by wicked kings.  I love that it says - he did with all his heart.  That is what I want for us at Bellwether - that we give our lives to Christ, and what we do - for His Kingdom, at Bellwether, we do with all our hearts.  There is nothing halfway.  We give all.  

When we do it that way, and we do it for Him, we will always prosper.

God bless you.
John Hugh  

God carries us. What a remarkable thought. Do we believe it? When life comes at us fast? When it's too fast to respond, to know what to think or do? When we are vulnerable? When we have no control?

We like to be in control. For parts of our life, we can kid ourselves that we are, in fact, in control. Then life hits us and we realize we really don't have control at all. In those moments, it can be scary; but looking back, you can see, although you had no control, God carried you all along.

This happened to us last Friday, February 27, 2009. We were blessed with our second child, a son - Logan Joshua Tate. As beautiful and graceful as he looks now, his arrival was anything but. It was fast, intense, and unplanned. We felt something happening all around us, yet we had no control at all.

When we awoke that morning, everything was still very was planned out. We would soon realize life is something you can't always plan, or stop, or control. Sometimes, it simply happens.

Around lunch, we realized something was very different. It was time to go. By 1pm, we're flying across Jackson to the hospital. We arrive at 1:30. Logan was born at 1:47pm. Fast. Unplanned. Out of control.

It was never supposed to happen that way. We thought we'd get to the hospital ahead of time, keep her relaxed, and go through an easy delivery. Instead, we barely made it, and there was no relaxing involved. However, life still arrived.

After things calmed, Linda said: "if that happened to me and I wasn't a Christian, it would've rocked my world." She meant - during the whole time - she didn't have control of what was going on inside her. Something was happening she had no control over. Life was happening. She couldn't control it, but she was a vessel for it to occur. And, even if she didn't know it, she was being carried through it.

A good friend of mine, who has had personal experiences with both birth and death, once told me - "there are certain times in life - often at birth and at death - when the veil between this world and the next is pulled open just slightly, and you get a glimpse of something greater." In times like that, I do believe we can see more clearly, that there is something greater, something in control.

However, we're not here simply as pawns, or actors on a stage someone else is manipulating. The Good News of the Gospel is that our God - the same God who is in control - carries us too.

For us, last Friday was quite an experience: one of not having control and one of God carrying us. It ended with a miracle. A new life, a new child, a son. He is a cause for rejoicing and celebration.

And on the same day, all over the world, many other children were born. I'm sure in those situations, those parents or loved ones felt - at least for a little while - like things were totally out of their control.

And there were also other people on that day whose lives came to an end. For their loved ones, I can imagine they felt a complete lack of control. ANd for them, there was little rejoicing on that day.

We too, can go through times where we feel a lack of control and there is no cause for celebration. These times may seem, feel, and are, darker. They may be called ‘a dark night of the soul.' We look up and find ourselves in a physical, emotional, or spiritual wilderness.

Moses told the people: "in the wilderness....you saw how the Lord your God carried you, just as a man carries his son, in all the way you have walked until you came to this place."

‘As a man carries his son.' God loves us as a man loves his son. What amazing love that is. He will carry us. Through whatever wilderness we find ourselves. Through every dark night. Through times of rejoicing, and times we feel lost. And He will carry us ‘all the way,' until we find our place. All the way.

This, above anything else, is cause for celebration. This is Good News. A God who loves us, and carries us, as a father carries his son. In our life - whatever we face, whatever wilderness we wander in, in rejoicing or despair - God will carry us.

Here's what I mean. We live in a world that constantly tells us - "you have to work hard to get what you want." "You have to earn it." "Nothing is free." Even if you are given something, they'll ultimately expect something else in return - on down the road.

So, when we receive, it can be easy to have feelings of: "I have to do something to earn this" or we can feel guilty: "what did I do to deserve this?" Even thought it's meant to be a gift, it can actually put a burden on our hearts to earn it or pay it back. I'm not the best receiver. Those are honest feelings I have. It always pops in my mind - I have to earn this - whether it's a gift or reward. And, I easily feel like - I haven't done enough. I have feelings of guilt.

As Christians, we can talk about being disciplined and focused about doing certain things: time in God's Word, being part of a church family, being part of a small group, serving in some way, prayer, etc. However, it's just as important (if not more so) to not overlook the ability, really the gift, of receiving well. Why? Because the core, the essence, of Christianity is about receiving.

Romans 6:23 says - "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." The free gift.

Now, we have to believe in our hearts that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, but otherwise, we don't have to DO anything to receive this wonderful free gift - eternal life. A life which doesn't start at death, but begins at the moment when a person receives Christ into their lives. Ultimately, the Gospel is about receiving.

I've had some practice at receiving lately. God has been pouring out blessings in my life, the life of our family, and the life of Bellwether.

Last week, Linda's bible study gave our family a wonderful, unique gift. They overwhelmed us both by coming into our home and essentially "re-decorating" our home (since neither of us have that gift) and getting it ready for our new baby. My wife was profoundly moved. She literally couldn't speak the rest of the day. For her, all of them taking time and making efforts to do something like that was beyond words. However, she said it best in: "someone could've given me a check for 10 million dollars and this gift would mean more to me." Those women ministered to her, and our family, with the love of Christ more than they will ever know.

Another wonderful gift is that we have a new baby arriving any day! We've had a healthy pregnancy, and it looks like all systems are ready to go. If she/he doesn't come before, Monday March 2nd is our day. This blessing and gift is really hitting me now - a new life, the responsibility of raising another child - it's all nothing less than a remarkable gift, a miracle, from God.

Then I had a friend and brother whose life literally changed this past weekend by the grace of God. The past year has been amazing to see how God started a work on him, but in the last few days, he truly received all God has to give. He humbly let go, and is letting God take charge of his life. He doesn't know it, but he has become an example to me, and I know for many others. It's amazing to see what God can do in someone's life if they will simply let go and receive His love.

Finally, today, we enter into the season of Lent. It seems Lent is always about giving something up - taking something (usually bad but you like it) out of your life. But really, Lent should be about being intentional to receive God's blessings for our lives. To realize, remind ourselves, think about, all God has done, is doing, and will do for us in Jesus Christ. That is a cause for celebration! That He truly does changes lives! That He will bless us if we receive His free gift! And that He expects nothing of us, other than receiving Jesus into our lives. That is why they call it Good News! So Lent should be a time where we reflect, remember, and receive all God has to offer us.

That's what Lent will be for me this year. A time to receive better. And in receiving, letting God work in my life where I can try to model His gift - the gift of life in Christ - to the world around me.

For the past few months, it's been on my heart for Bellwether to find a new space, a new home. Maybe not a permanent one, but at least a "more permanent home." Why? Primarily because Sunday morning has become such a big operation. We set-up a lot: stages, drapes, chairs, wires, video screen, tables, coffee, multi-media, family/children's rooms, lighting, and then the worship team needs to do a run through. By the time we finish, we're always pushing it to be up and ready to go by 10:30. It makes for a long morning for our people. Factor in the take-down after church, it makes for a full day.

Set-up has been good - many of our folks have gotten to know each other. It's been great in helping us "build" our community. But it's also an easy way to burn people out. And, we want to always take care of our people. Therefore, I'd been praying for God to open a door where we could have a more permanent home, and not have to do all the set-up and take down.

A few of us had begun looking at different spaces in the Jackson area. Places were available. With the economy as it, there'll probably be even more in the future. But to get in one, we'd be taking on a financial burden. In the neighborhood we were looking at (10-20,000 sqft) you're talking about around 1.5 million to buy. Okay, so let's get a lease. That would be about $10K a month - at a minimum. Add in the $50-100K to renovate and it's a lot. For a place we wouldn't have to put as much money it, that'd be about $20K a month.

It seemed like we were in between a rock and a hard place. Our solution was to wait. We knew God would provide. We knew He'd would move on someone's heart - allowing us to use a space at little cost. It might not be in the short term, but I knew ultimately He would provide.
I didn't know it would happen this soon. Two weeks ago, I got a call from the owner of the Courthouse. We talked awhile. He continued to be very supportive of all we were doing at Bellwether. He felt we were a blessing to them. He then asked if we might be interested in leasing the space where we were currently worshipping. Now, a few of us at Bellwether had discussed this possibility, but we didn't know what it would entail for the Courthouse, so we first decided to look around for other spaces.

Of course we'd be interested, I told him. So, we set a meeting for the next week - as soon as we could, I might add. There, we came up with a phenomenal "win-win" for both the Courthouse and Bellwether. They would lease us our "worship area" and gym, at minimal costs. We would in-turn make improvements and renovations to the space for the Courthouse. The improvements would help our church, and the building for the long term.

It's a great opportunity for Bellwether. We'll have close to 18,000 sqft to use as our own. We won't have to set-up/take down the worship area (we'll still have to do the family area - but that won't take too long), the possibilities for "renewing and re-creating the space" are endless, and, we'll continue to be good financial stewards with what God has provided.

Over the long-term, we don't know how long we'll stay at the Courthouse. It may be 2 years. It may be 5 years. But we'll invest in the building to make it a multi-purpose facility for children, adults, and families to use and enjoy. And, when we do leave, we will have created a wonderful space to give back to people, and the community. That is what we want to be about - to give back for His Kingdom.

I'm floored by how good God is and how He provides. I announced the news last Sunday in the service. Everyone is excited and fired up. Yes, about not having to do all of set-up, but also about having a "more permanent home," about making a wise financial decision, and about all the potential to renew this space.

But I think everyone was excited about something else. Something more. That is to literally see God at work. To see God in action. To see prayers answered. To see God provide. And to see Him building a church, growing a church, and growing people in that church. As His church, we'll continue to look to Him to answer prayers, and provide for us, every step of the way.

It got better inside. One of the dad told me the office now looked like a "70's hippie commune." He meant it as a positive. All compliments of Chris Kellum. The place was pretty decked out - carpets and beads hanging from the ceiling, pretty dark, bean bags scattered around. There was foos-ball machine, and I hear video games are soon to come. Oh, and there was pizza too.

As everybody arrived, the guys naturally moved to one side of the room (with the foos-ball machine) and the girls to the other. Some things never change. Chris and Hyland brought them back together as they started playing some tunes. It was a challenge to get them singing at first, but some healthy competition brought it out. It was Girls vs. Guys, to see who was loudest. Not who sang the best, just who was the loudest. The first couple of rounds were a tie, but ultimately, the girls actually won. (The guys were still a bit shy). However, by the end of "worship time" some of the guys were on each other's shoulders, and were waving cell phones in the air. All of this to Christian songs.

Then Sam Morris took over. And I do mean took over. Sam was/is a great facilitator for getting youth to know each other, talk, interact, and ultimately lead them in a lesson about Christ. The kids respond to him, and he is uniquely gifted to speak to youth.

Last night, he began talking about the parables of Christ in growing "fruits of the spirit" while weeding out the negative influences in the world. The message was: that all of them are each uniquely gifted by God. By growing in Christ and learning more about Him, they can discover how much He has gifted them and how He will use them. And in Christ, they'll have the strength to block out anything negative the world throws at us.

It was a great night - for the youth, and for Bellwether. Those guys are our future. Future leaders. Who will lead future families before we know it. This is our time to invest in them, build them up, and love them, so they can develop and discover their unique gifts -and become the men and women God created them to be.

For Bellwether, we are still very new to our community. We have new people coming through our doors all the time. We've started new groups, with new people. We now have a new logo and website that's gone up. We've just started a new youth group. We continue to think, talk, and pray about a new and improved space.

(And of course, we have a new President.....and it seems you hear so many people saying we live in a whole new world. But that's a topic for another day.)

Anyway, it just seems like this is a season of newness - in my family's life, and for us as a church.

I generally like things that are new, ideas that are new, books that are new, movies that are new people who are new. I like seasons of newness. It's always more exciting. I like new, better than old. And I wish things could feel new, life could feel new, all the time. I know there have been times in my life where there hasn't been some huge sense of newness. Periods where you feel stagnant, that things just aren't happening, aren't clicking. It may just be a blah feeling in general. I've felt that way before, and I know many others who have as well.

However, if we get down to it, in Jesus Christ, our lives should completely and always be about the new. 2 Corinthians 5: 17 says "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW creature; the old things have passed away; behold NEW things have come." What a great message, what great news. In Christ, no matter who we are, who we've been, what we've done, how we've lived, we have a clean slate. We can have new hearts. We can have new life.

In this new life, it should really never grow old. Because we can always be growing in a new way: as people who know Him and as leaders who serve Him. We'll learn new things - about Him, and about ourselves. He'll lead us to new people, who may help us, or who He may be calling us to help. Ultimately, I believe Jesus puts a desire for newness in our hearts: we want to see new people come to know Him and find new life. We want to start new works, ventures, and ministries to glorify Him. We want to see and have growth in our lives, in our churches, in our community, in our world.

Why does that happen? Because God says - Revelation 21: 5 - "Behold I am making all things new." He doesn't say a few things, some things, or even most things. He says ALL things. So, if God is living in us through Christ, then He is making our lives new, and using us to bring about new life in this world He loves so much.

Right now, seems like there is a lot of new things going on. As I see all this, it makes me realize more and more, that Christ is about the new. In Him, we have new life. In Him, newness will be all around. We simply need to open our eyes.