Pastor James’ Blog

Last night was the first “Safe Haven” Student Ministry night of the 2010/11 school year.   It took a virtual army of volunteers to “get the job done” last night but it went great.  We even had some new volunteers step up to help and they did a great job.  We were even blessed to have one of the “small groups” from Heritage Baptist Church, Texarkana, TX come help out.  For the first night it really went well.  Yes, there were a few things we need to work on and yes, there were a few things that came up that we had not anticipated but all in all it went very smoothly.   We are very blessed to have a church family that is not self centered.  They are soul centered. They love people. All ages, colors, backgrounds and status’.  The Wednesday night student ministry requires lots of volunteers and I want all of you to know I really appreciate each and every one of you.   Thanks for all you did/do to feed, pick up/deliver, teach, watch over, enroll, oversee, hug, laugh, and make a difference in the lives of the students God sends our way.  I look forward to even greater things coming about next Wednesday night.      Keep praying, keep inviting and let’s watch as Jesus touches the lives and hearts of the students!  Thanks again Life House “ARMY”!!

The service this morning at Life House was “off the chain” as so many of our friends like to say!    All weekend I’ve had this deep feeling that God was going to do something awesome in the serve – and HE DID!   The day began as usual…Life House Community Cafe Sunday Morning Breakfast.  Lot’s of “usual” faces, a few new ones.   Great breakfast.  Then little by little it became time for the worship service to start.  People began to make their way into the worship center, smiling, laughing, ready to worship.  The music began – praises filled the air.  What a time of worship in music!  Then time for the preaching of the Word. I shared a message entitled, “I JUST FEEL LIKE SOMETHING GOOD IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN!”   I’m a simple preacher…no flowery words, no great intellectual thoughts. Just a simple country preacher sharing simple country preaching. I preached I believed Jesus laid on my heart for the service.   The people were attentive.   During the “altar call” Jesus began to fill up the altar with people needing prayer, rededicating their lives and just praying (hands and hearts lifted high).    The Lord began to work in some hearts and during the altar call twelve (12) people called on Jesus name and were saved!  What a time! One of our members invited their Dad to church and he came for the first time.  He left SAVED!!!    You know – I believe something GREAT happened!  The devil is mad and Jesus is glorified.  Pray for even more souls to be saved!!!!   98 souls saved so far and millions more to go!  The harvest truly is plenteous, the labourers are few – pray that the Lord of the harvest will send forth labours into HIS HARVEST.     It’s time for us to go after souls like never before!!

ONE LAST THING… If you would like to come – starting the first Sunday night in September – September 5, at 5:30 p.m. we will be going through the basic training course of “THE WAY OF THE MASTER”.  You DO NOT  have to be a member or part of Life House to come for this time of training.  We will be learning how to win souls to Jesus in an easy, effective manner.  This course will hopefully equip our people (and others too) to be able to witness boldly for Jesus. Don’t miss out on this time of learning!  Don’t say I didn’t invite you !!!

I am so excited!  Tonight – in about 50 minutes – our volunteers will be here to do a “run through” of our updated/revised Wednesday night student ministry.  Next Wednesday night, August 25 we will open the doors and let them come in!  We believe that this is going to be the greatest “SAFE HAVEN” ever for Life House.  Please join us in praying that we can continue to make a great impact on the students God sends our way.  I am thankful for great volunteers who give their time and are faithful. They love the students, pray for the students and reach out to the students with their hearts.  “OUR KIDS” are a blessing to us.   Looking for somewhere to volunteer? Come see me and join us as we make a difference in the lives of these students – for Jesus.  

Pray for the students. Pray for more space (we have to be really creative !) and pr

When life house began as a new mission we only had a small handful of people who believed that God wanted a multi-ethnic church started in College Hill.   Over the last two years God has blessed over and over again by sending us people of all ages, races and economic status.  Little by little He is growing a very diverse body with one thing in common – JESUS.  Each member of life house has a desire to see people of all colors come to know Jesus and experience LIFE – now and in eternity.

This past Sunday God added three new members to our church family.  All three of these people prayerfully sought the Lord concerning a church home. All three “wrote out” their salvation experience (testimony) and then agreed to the four principles of being a member of Life House Church.  What are the four principles?

1. To be faithful to Sunday Morning Worship

2. To be faithful to Life Group Meeting (Sunday Nights now)

3. To be faithful to find a place of service in the church and do it faithfully!

4. To be a “store house” tither.

Every church “expects/hopes” that their members will do the above but at Life House we believe that it’s a privilege to be a part of a church body – not a right. We believe that if you are going to be a member you should seek to be a blessing to your church and not just a “name on a roll”.  We are praying that God will continue to send new people and families to our church and that they will be lights in this dark world to reach souls for Jesus.  We don’t need pew sitters – we need workers in God’s vineyard.  If you are looking for a church home and all you want to do is “SIT” – do us a favor…don’t consider Life House.  In fact if you want we can give you the name of several abandoned church buildings that might fit the bill for you.  You won’t have to attend, work, tithe, pray or anything – but you can call it your church home!! SAD!  In these last days (and we ARE living in the last days) God is raising up churches – HIS people – to do the work He has called the church to do.  It’s time to SERVE not SIT. 

LAST NOTE:  ARE YOU A BLESSING TO YOUR CHURCH FAMILY OR JUST A NAME ON A ROLL?  THINK ABOUT IT!

When Cindy and I felt called to begin Life House we knew it was going to be a step of faith. We left a comfortable position ( the church we were pastoring always took good care of us financially),  a nice home and a nice neighborhood. We prayed and believed that God was leading us to move into College Hill and begin a new work to reach people of all colors, walks and pasts. We didn’t know how we were going to pay the bills and didn’t know how it was all going to work out…but WE KNEW GOD WAS CALLING US and so blindly we followed. Without a doubt – where God calls – He provides!  We’ve seen Him provide time and time again. We have seen the mission/church grow over the past two years.  Eighty Eight souls have trusted Jesus as their personal Savior. We do NOT regret that first step of faith!!  A few months ago I began to feel that God was directing me to move away from my part time job and take the step of faith to go “full time” at Life House. The mission/church can’t really afford to take on the full load of my salary and being in an area that is so poor and so transient it may never be strong enough but that is an issue for God to deal with. The issue of how we are going to pay the bills if I left my part time job again became an issue. We have one “bill” (car payment) that we kept seeing as an obstacle to going “full time”. The Lord has just kept pressing on my heart that we needed to trust Him, step out on faith and that He will provide. As always the devil just keeps saying – “HOW?” “It won’t work.” “That’s a stupid idea.”.  Well, God has confirmed in our hearts that this is what God is calling me to do. The Lord has given me direction and by faith I gave a one month notice with my “other job” (and that month is now up) and am believing God and taking this step of faith. I don’t know how He is going to do it BUT HE WILL. He has never let us down in 31 years of ministry and He won’t start today. I ask that all of my friends pray for us and pray that this step will result in more people coming to know Jesus as Savior, more hearts changed, more lives changed and the mission/church continue to grow to be the LIFE and LIGHT house that this area needs. The needs are so great and our hearts are called to do more than ever before. With all of that said – TODAY I am stepping out on faith and am now serving the Lord full time at Life House Church.  I am available for revivals, Men’s meetings, speaking engagements – anywhere as my schedule permits. I will be willing to travel, share the work of Life House that God has called us to, do revivals or whatever or whenever God opens a door. I’m excited to see this next chapter in our ministry at Life House. Thanks for your prayers and thanks for all the support for me, my family and for the work at Life  House that YOU have given us. Now…let’s get busy – there are souls to be rescued, souls to be saved — where are my work boots? Join me – it’s time to get out of our seats and into the streets!!      James