Time to Pray and Ponder

WACO, Texas - A pastor performing a baptism was electrocuted inside his church Sunday morning after adjusting a nearby microphone while standing in water, a church employee said.

The Rev. Kyle Lake, 33, was stepping into the baptistery as he reached out for the microphone, which produced an electric shock, said University

Baptist Church community pastor Ben Dudley.

Water in a baptistery usually reaches above the waist, said Byron Weathersbee, interim university chaplain at Baylor University.

Lake was pronounced dead at Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, nursing supervisor Pat Mahl said. The woman being baptized apparently had not stepped into the water and was not seriously injured.

Pastors at University Baptist Church routinely use a microphone during baptisms, said Jamie Dudley, the wife of Ben Dudley and a business administrator at the church.

"He was grabbing the microphone so everyone could hear," she said. "It'’s the only way you can be heard."

About 800 people attended the morning service, which was larger than normal because it was homecoming weekend at nearby Baylor University, Dudley said.

Lake had been at the church for nine years, the last seven as pastor. He had a wife, Jennifer, a 5-year-old daughter and two 3-year-old sons.

At a remembrance attended by about 1,000 people Sunday night at First Baptist Church, Ben Dudley told the UBC congregation that they would move forward as a church.

“I don’t know how, when, why, where or what’s going to happen, but we will continue as a church in the community because that is what Kyle would have wanted,” he said.

We need to pray for this new church and this young family that will be dealing with the loss of a Pastor, husband, dad and friend. The answer of why may never be know this side of eternity, but we do have a opportunity to pray and ponder.

PRAY: Lord, the answers to why this happen can be as numoris as the sand on the sea shore, but this one thing we do know that the life of this man was fulfilled. We accept this by faith and ask that you will comfort the lives's lifes and plans continue from this day forward.

PONDER: Put you self in his shoes, would you be willing to die with those who are announcing their faith to others. Do we care enough for this to happen. Yes, hind sight is 20/20. Yes, it was not the safest move to reach out to the mic but we can still ponder the question . . . .do we care about the salvation of others enough to die?

Our oldest daughter is attending her second year at College. She is attending a Christian College near our home. She join the student leadership team this year and she was asked to lead a student chapel this Wednesday evening . . .Trying to put together a duel teaching with her, I came up with some thoughts that I share with you.

Marissa's job was to pick some songs, which she did, she also came up with a very good illustration at the end. My part is to come up with a fifteen minute team talk on forgiveness. So here are some thoughts.

I would like to use this verse as a base verse

"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life." (1Timothy 1:15-16).

The first step to walking in forgiveness is to REALIZE that we are sinners.

The second step in walking in forgiveness is to RECEIVE His mercy.

The third step in walking in forgiveness is to REPEAT His actions to others.

From that perspective, we can truly walk in forgiveness.

Lord please walk with us.

After a year and a half of evaluation, the ministry team of the Chapel is changing our Sunday Morning Celebration. Oh it's not a big change, but a change never the less. With little under 50% of our flock involved in small groups, we are brining small groups to our Sunday morning event. WE are calling them Life groups and they will meet following the Sunday morning message.

Some call it Adult Sunday School, some call it accountability groups, but the main function of these groups is to allow all of our folks to taste the goodness of small groups. It is our hope that they will enjoy so much that they will want to join an off campus small group. Yes it will be helpful for them on Sunday's but we want more.

Lord guide us!

Well, I just got back from a retreat with some other Pastors for our area and it was wonderful.

Couple of thoughts I brought home to ponder.

First of all, we have some fearless young pastors in our district. It was wonderful to hear their excitement and courage as they focus on what they believe to be God's plan for their church. Bless them all. Pray for them all, because all of them seemed to be putting a lot of time and energy into their church's, and I hope they don't forget their families. I don't think they will but it is a prayer concern.

Secondly, our speaker spoke a lot on the subject of possessing the land. Primarily in the area of God's desire for the each church to take back the land (spiritual land) that had been taken by the enemy of our soul. He encouraged us to find out about the activities, both spiritual and physically that has taken place in our cities to see if there is a tone or a recurring activities that carry on from generation to generation. Something to think about.

The last thing that I learned was to be intentional about using peoples strength. I personally felt I had some things to contribute, but the opportunity to use my gifts was not created for me. The thing I learned is that within our church too. People want to contribute and I need to provide times and places for them to exercise those gifts or they will become frustrated just like I.

Things to think about.

After eight years, a group of men from our church felt it was time to bring the men of the church together for time of building one another.

Our theme was from Proverbs 27:17 says "Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend's countenance."

One of our teaching pastor'broughtth some very thought producing talks challenging each of us to stronglconsinderer the power of accountability.

We men face on a daily bases a battle against the spiritual forces of darkness. In Ephesians, Paul tells us that we must be equipped with all the power that God supplies to fight this battle, "Therefore, put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand" (Ephesians 6:13). Notice that Paul said "that you may be able to withstand. "He realized that even if we equip ourselves with everything God has to offer in defense of evil that we are still human and we may not be able to always resist Satan's temptations. "May be able" is from the Greek word dunamai (doo'-nam-ahee) which means "possibly able." So, what more can we do to stand against evil and temptation? We know without a doubt that temptation will come.

That is why Proverbs 27:17 is so important for us. A friend's countenance is a look or expression indicative of encouragement or of moral support. The question of the day is, when was the last time you had a friend call you just to ask how you are doing? When is the last time you called a friend and asked he needs to talk? Encouragement and moral support from a friend are sometimes the missing ingredients in fighting the battle against Satan.

The writer of Hebrews summed it up when he said, "Having therefore, brothers, boldness to [1] enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having a great priest over the house of God, [2] let's draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed with pure water,[3] let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful. [4] Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching. [5] For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins."

[1] Let's begin each day walking with our best friend and Lord, Jesus Christ;

[2] With an open, loving heart that Jesus provided, draw near to friends (your accountability team);

[3] Remembering our confession of faith to the One who can change lives;

[4] Encouraging one another (your accountability team) in love, urging each other to love and to do good to others, as we continue to meet together (with your team or church family);

[5] Satisfied that we have done everything possible to avoid sin and to help our brothers and sisters to remain strong in their faith, we praise God for what He is doing in our lives!

Men, concider the challenge that Pastor Paul gave us by seeking out 3 other men and enter into a one another relationship were we can be sharpen and have an encouragety to incourage others to be all they can be in the Lord.

Now go Sharpen each other.