Post date: August 22, 2010
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 
!!!
Post date: August 18, 2010
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
Post date: August 18, 2010
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!
Post date: August 7, 2010
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
Membership at Life House Church isn’t just a privilege but with it comes responsibility. On any given Sunday worship service you will find that we usually have 100 “visitors” in our service and around 35 members who have prayerfully stepped out and made the commitment to serve as a part of our church family. If you know anything about Life House you know that you don’t just “join and sit”. After you have prayed and sought God’s will and make that step to join Life House you must: 1. Write out your testimony. 2. Must have experienced Believers Baptism by immersion in a Baptist Church or be willing to submit to Believers Baptism at Life House. 3. Agree to the “Four Principles” of Membership at Life House which are as follows: You agree to: 1. Be faithful to Sunday Services 2. Be faithful to attend Life Groups 3. Be faithful to find a place of service in the church – one or more. 4. Be a “Store House Tither”. In order to remain a member of Life House you must be faithful in those areas. If you aren’t faithful then after counsel your name will be “dropped” from Life House Church Membership Roll. If you aren’t a member it does NOT mean you can’t come, serve, work and enjoy all the blessings of being at Life House – it just means you don’t have the rights and privileges of being a member.
One of those “rights” of being a member of Life House is being invited to any “congregational meeting” – such as tonights “MINI R & R” Meeting at 5:30 p.m. . What is “R&R”? We call it “Review and Renew” Meeting. It has been done annually but we are going to start having one quartertly – starting tonight and then every “FIFTH SUNDAY” Night. Tonight the Life House Members will worship together, share their hearts together and then I am going to be sharing some exciting news, challenging our members hearts and then close in a season of prayer. God has some “GREATER THINGS” that are soon to come and we must get ready. God is using Life House in a special way and we need to be ready to see Him open the flood gates of heaven.
It is a joy to serve as pastor of this great mission/church and I am totally excited about what I see coming. We aren’t your “typical” or “usual” Baptist Church – and we strive hard not to be! The last thing we want to do is become a “business, budget and battling” church. We don’t want to be a part of the “religious country club” that is permeating churches today. When the “constitution and by-laws” mean more than the BIBLE then the “church” is in trouble. God help Life House to keep their eyes on the Jesus and the cross. Help us never forget our mission.
Pastor James
VBS 2010 is NOW HISTORY! What a big and busy week. We are so blessed at Life House!! The Lord blessed us with some great mission minded friends from Springfield Baptist Church, Morton, Ms and First Baptist Church, Vinton, Louisiana coming to “DO” our Vacation Bible School this week. (THANKS GUYS – You all are and were a HUGE blessing to us this week!!)
As most of you who have worked in a VBS know – it takes lots of people, lots of hard work, dedication and time to “do one right”. Not only did our mission friends come and “do” VBS with us but also many of the Life House family worked hard to pick up and deliver children, cook, serve and clean up for “snack time” and other things to. (THANKS GUYS! You are the BEST!!)
This week we saw several new faces, lots of smiles, hugs, and laughter. We saw some youth “stretched in their faith” as they taught, sang and lead out in areas they had never experienced before. Through it all – God blessed this week with 11 souls saved – 10 in one night.
It is safe to say that, Friday night after it was all said and done, there were lots of tired bodies but rejoicing hearts in all who worked. My mind can only imagine what we at Life House are going to see come about because of this years VBS. Seeds were sown and a harvest is sure to come to pass. Pray for those children who came, heard the gospel and those who came and were saved. Pray that this week will impact their Mom’s and Dad’s. Pray that for many this will be a week that serves as a turning point in their lives and future. Pray that we will see God do something that only He can do in this community.
GREATER THINGS ARE YET TO COME!! Pastor James
Once again: THANKS to all who came, worked, shared, loved, prayed and gave. You made a difference in eternity this week!!
We are on the third night of VBS and it’s exciting to see so many of our regular children here and lots of NEW children too. These are MY children. At Life House each child that comes our way is loved unconditionally. We don’t care where they come from, who their parents are, what their past is, how they are dressed or even if they smell good or bad. We love them because Jesus sent them our way. We see every child as HIS child and in need of HIS LOVE. I am blessed to be the pastor of this great church. We are blessed to have an unusual ministry and yet one that is build on Jesus love and example for all people. The smiles, hugs and high fives bless my heart. To hear them laugh, sing and dance is so awesome. For one short moment – some of them are in a place of safety, unconditional love and fun. This week has been about sowing seeds and I know that in the days, months and years to come we will see them come to fruition. I better go – they are having too much fun without me!! More later… Pastor James
It has been a few months since i’ve blogged anything but felt that NOW is the time to COME BACK and keep the blog going full force. There are so many things that have happened since I’ve blogged and lots to share. Stay tuned…pray for us and i’ll be back real soon. Gotta run for now… Talk to you soon my friends!!
Post date: January 9, 2010
Our church family held their annual R&R Celebration (Review & Renew) for 2009 last Friday night. As we looked over the past year it was exciting to see all that God did during it. We were blessed to see God’s hand throughout the year. We are also excited over all that we believe He is going to do in 2010. We are praying for a great year not only for Life House but for the kingdom. We are “adopting” four other church plants so that we might encourage them and petition the Father to help them reach souls on their respective fields. We are wanting to teach our church family that as a new church plant we still need to look beyond our own neighborhood, city and state and reach out to others with the gospel. We are not the only church that is trying to reach the world and together (as we link arms and hearts) we will see souls saved here in Jerusalem (our local mission field), Judea (our states – Arkansas/Texas) Samaria (the United States) and to the “ends of the earth” – (the world – foreign missions). We have chosen to adopt:
Local Mission Field – Texarkana, AR /College Hill Community/ Texarkana, TX
State Mission Fields: Stuttgart Harvest Church, Stuttgart, AR – (AR) and Keystone Community Outreach Church, Ft. Worth, TX (TX)
National: DeSoto Community Church, DeSoto, Kansas
International: The Mapuche People Group – found in Chile.
Each of these ministries are important in God’s kingdom work. Life House Family is blessed to be able to partner with them and hopefully encourage and support them in many ways in the next year. God has been soooooo good to us and faithful to us and we are praying He will use our church family to bless others who are just like us.
Wherever you are…whatever part of the kingdom you are serving in – don’t lose hope or heart – God is with you and will prosper your work in the kingdom. Be faithful, pray and don’t ever give up! There are souls to be saved, lives to see changed, people to clothe, people to feed, people to love, children and youth to touch and train and we MUST keep working till He comes again. It’s a blessing to serve Him and we praise Him for being faithful in 2009 and know He is always faithful and will be in 2010. Can’t wait to see what He is going to accomplish in 2010 with Life House and many other churches who refuse to become “religious country clubs” but want to be His hands and His feet in the world today. It’s time to get up, get out and become the salt and light He has called us to be. Life House Church has renewed her vision for 2010 and is purposing in her heart to reach more souls and touch more lives than ever before. Will you join us? It’s time – He is faithful – are we? Serve Him in 2010!!
Post date: November 18, 2009
Last Saturday our church did an “Concert Outreach” to the College Hill Community in Bramble Park. Our Praise Team & Praise Band set up and sang and our church family served hot dogs, chips, donuts, snacks and ect. to those who showed up. We enjoyed getting to “mingle” with the people, had the opportunity to pray with some of them about some needs in their lives and just “hang out” and love on ‘em in Jesus name. While there I noticed a woman and spoke to her. She immediately “stiffened up” and seemed VERY reluctant to approach the area we were in – much less take any food from us. Many of our people spoke to her and most got the same “stand offish” reaction. While mingling with the people I again got near her and tried to strike up a conversation. I eventually invited her to church at Life House and she let me know VERY QUICKLY that “church wasn’t her thing”. I thanked her and assured her that she was always welcome at Life House. I then said – “If you don’t want to come to church at least come in the morning for our huge country breakfast that we serve ever Sunday morning to the community. It’s free and if you want to stay for church afterwards it’s fine and if you don’t it’s fine – the breakfast is always free with no strings attached.” She didn’t promise me anything. Sunday morning rolled around and as people began to come in for breakfast I noticed that this lady and a man had reluctantly come in the building. I watched her and she walked over to another lady that she apparently already knew and said, “I hope the roof doesn’t fall in.” I stepped over and told her not to worry about the roof because I had been in the building many times and it had never fallen with me in it.” – we both laughed. After breakfast people began to move toward the worship center and lo and behold she and the gentleman she was with slipped in the back of the worship center and sat down. I couldn’t see her during the worship service but when it came time to deliver the message I noticed her. She was all eyes and ears. I shared God’s Word in my plain way and you never know what to expect during the altar call at Life House. Many people came and filled the altars. Many praying, some seeking prayer. A line of people had formed in front of me asking me to pray for them and after praying with two people I noticed the next one in line was this woman. She said she needed to “get things right” in her heart. I motioned for one of our ladies to come and she took her aside and led her to the Lord. Following the service, this same woman walked up to me and said she needed to do that “water thing”. I was shocked! She was requesting to be baptized!! I told her that we would be doing believers baptism that very night and she could be baptized then if she wanted. She was READY! Sunday night we had the blessing of baptizing three new believers and she was one of them. The “neat thing” is that I saw her again on Tuesday for our Life House Community Cafe’ meal and when she came in – she came in with a big smile and came and hugged me. She had been telling her friends about getting saved and about her new church. What a difference Jesus makes!! I wasn’t there when the woman at the well got saved – but I can say that I was there when the woman at the park did!! Keep praying for more “God Moments” like that one at Life House in the near future ! Pastor James