Spiritaul Geneology

I was reading a devotional out of a publication put out by Moody. At the end of the devo it asked if the reader had ever traced his/her spiritual genealogy. I had not so I started to do a little research. Here goes...

1. My dad (Mike Holman) led me to Christ
2. His dad (Frank Holman) led him to Christ
3. Dr. Tom Malone led my Grandfather to Christ
4. William David Campbell (a circuit riding methodist preacher from Georgia) led Tom Malone to Christ in the 1930's.

I did a little research about the Methodists and found out that John Wesley went first to Savannah, Georgia in coming to the States with the intent to to convert the Indians.

If my math is correct William David Campbell's birth outdated Wesley's death by about 80 years. So there is probably 2 or 3, at most, spiritual generations in between he and John Wesley. Here the whole time I thought I was a Baptist by heritage... hmph.

Do yours - it will surprise you to find out that most of us can trace our own spiritual genealogy
back to a historic movement. Let me know what you come up with.

Feeling a little wierd

Does anyone remember the feeling you got when you came home from summer camp or a really good vacation? All the new friends and excitement for a few days and then you go home... and nothing.
I remember the summer of '93 - I was a Junior in High School and church camp that year was really good. Our youth group was awesome - we had all met new friends - and coming home was a drudgery. That Friday I came home I can remember taking a nap on the couch and waking up to find I was the only one home. I felt ripped away from all my friends and a deep emptiness like I had never felt before came over me.
I felt that same way today after coming home from Gospel Baptist Church. I cleaned out my office today after working there for six years. I came home and sat on the couch thinking about all that has transpired and felt really... really... empty. I knew I would feel it at sometime but it didn't hit until today. I will be fine but there are some separation emotions you get after pouring your life into something that are unavoidable. We will miss all of you at GBC and will continue to pray God's blessings on your life. We love you more than you know...

~Tim

"umm... I freeze things"

I came down this morning to see that Cameron (my oldest) was eating something crunchy out of a cup with a spoon. I asked him what he was eating. He hesitated a little and said, "umm... it's... umm... I freeze things." He was a little embarrassed to tell me what it was but once he did it wasn't so bad.

Big Breakthrough

Ok I had a major breakthrough tonight. I finally figured out how to get that email subscription box on my blog. It was easy once I found a website that lead me through it. The problem is that the people that take the time to show you how to do it are total nerds and use language that partial nerds don't understand. This proves that communication is not what is heard but what is understood.

It's a New Day

Yeah I haven't blogged in a while... I think the long pause was because I cannot find out how to get my blog set up to where people can sign up for a feed. Since I don't have that feature on I figured nobody will just stop by my blog to see what I've written.
We have been at Gospel Baptist Church in Galion Ohio now for almost 6 years. This Sunday January the 20th my family and I will be moving on to start a church in Marion Ohio - about 30 minutes south of us. If you are GBC family just know that we love you all and are praying for God's best on your behalf. We love Pastor and Lori, the rest of the staff, worship team, students, and the list goes on with so many people that have touched us or that we have come to know and love deeply. We love all of you and thank you for 6 wonderful years.

2 are better then 7

My family and I were in Indiana for Christmas. We came home yesterday after hanging out in Cincy for the day. We were in a mall and there were 5 adults and 4 children. (Mom, Dad, Sis, Wife, Me, children). I have a three year old that likes to wander. There wasn't a designated person to watch him but everyone had one eye on him. Needless to say he managed to sneak away while we were sipping some starbucks. Not far - he was behind us on a horsey ride about 8 feet. Although he was on the other side so adrenaline kicked in for a split second before I saw his beady little eyes peering behind the ride that was in need of another quarter. I've never considered a leash until then. His mother then decided to watch him like a hawk with his sticky little hand glued to hers under much protest.

I went to bed last night thinking about that and how that applies to bringing someone up in the faith. I am a firm believer in personal discipleship and have witnessed so many new believers fall through the cracks of a church because 8 people had one eye on them but no one had two. I have heard it said that "Everyone's job is no one's job".

"Skate! Gate! Foot!"

Tonight Claire (my little girl) was doing some homework. The task seemed like a fun one. She was to identify one of three items in a group that did not rhyme. When she discovered one she would let out a cry of victory and recite the three items. This was not just a fun game to her. It was a celebration of discovery. The one she yelled the loudest was "Skate! Gate!! Foot!!!"

About the same time I was reading a book at the same table and made a discovery of my own. I am reading a book by Ed Stetzer called Planting Missional Churches. He quotes a book called The Shaping of things to Come. He explains that our Christology (our understanding of Jesus) shapes our Missiology (our understanding of the Mission of Jesus) and creates our Ecclesiology (the way we function as a church).

Too often we put the cart before the horse when it comes to doing the work of the ministry. The form and function of the church must never come before the person of Jesus. We must start with understanding, loving, and serving Jesus before we try to do church. It will remain a partial picture of the real thing and not a completed version of the Body of Christ.