Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts

The word for the day is Excitement, in our church and in our town. Our Christian Education Department launched the Macedonia Christian Leadership School under the direction of the National Baptist Convention USA, INC.

We will be running five (5) Discipleship programs consisting of Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts, Spiritual Formation, Effective Bible Reading, Baptist Doctrine and Evangelism. I want to say thank you to our Christian Education Director, Deacon Chris Dudley and our Dean of Records Sister Cynthia Bellaphant for all of their hard work in setting up and running our CLS.

Sunday was our first class and we exceeded our pre-registration numbers, To God be the Glory!! I was amazed at a needs survey we did at this church how many members thought they had NO SPIRITUAL GIFTS but yet believed they were saved. SO many members believed the only gifts were singing, preaching, leadership, therefore, I don't have those so I must not have any spiritual gifts.

It is our goal for this class to help students identify and then learn how to implement the gifts God has given the body of Christ through His members.

Please pray for us. Some students are taking these courses for certification and some are taking it for information. Either way, we just want to make God pleased with our efforts to develop students who can rightly divide the Word of Truth.

The other excitement in the air is the College National Championship Title Game tonight where the #1 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish will take on the #2 Alabama Crimson Tide. I certainly have local rooting interest in the game as I have spent time with many members of the Notre Dame football team who visit and help assist in ministry at our Church.

We thank God and our church is praying for Coach Ernest Jones who is responsible for helping develop the Fighting Irish football players in three of the five core areas Head Coach Kelly uses to develop and complete student-athletes: intellectual development, social development and spiritual development (the coaching staff is charged with skill development and the strength and conditioning staff is responsible for physical development).

Coach Jones runs INSPIRATION, A Bible based study and prayer group for students, coaches and athletes within the athletic department. We pray for his strength and we pray for the young men who will represent South Bend tonight against Alabama.

We don't mind Alabama rolling but tonight we hope Roll Tide rolls like they are on four flat tires and the Irish win.

University of Notre Dame Chapel Program 2012

Let me take this time to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Head Football Coach Brian Kelly; Ernest T. Jones, Director of Player Development and Engagement, Andre Gammage, Managing partner in the Law Firm of Berger&Gammage, Macedonia Trustee and member and soon to be next Probate Court Judge of St. Joseph County and the entire Notre Dame Athletic Department for choosing me to be one of the participants of the Fighting Irish Football Chapel program for 2012.

I was selected for the October 13th game vs. Stanford. I thank the above people for thinking enough of me to put my name in front of the selection committee, Chapel service is an opportunity to affirm and support the dedication and efforts of these young people so that all they do will glorify God and bring success to the team.

I know I believe in grace and mercy because candidates were chosen based on being a personal example of an on-going Christian walk and professional integrity that will have an impact on these athletes as well as a sincere, honest and upfront approach in bringing the gospel message to these student/athletes in a manner that they will understand and appreciate.

I thank the Macedonia Church Family for working with me as God is developing me into the type of vessel he can use. I guess I need to start thinking about what I would say to these student athletes. I am humbled by the opportunity and challenged to live up to the expectations of God for such a time as this.

Owens

Don't Miss the Party

By far this is the best weekend I have had here in South Bend, I officially am from Indiana now as it snowed all Friday and Saturday and I didn't bunker down like I had been doing. I kept going like it was no big deal. I attended a concert where one of my members Eugene Staples II, the son of one of our Pastors at the church Eugene Staples, Sr., is the lead musician for the Voices of Faith University of Notre Dame Gospel Choir. It was wonderful and God's name was praised, starting on the 4th Sunday of January, this choir will be ministering at my church every fourth Sunday to give them an outlet to use their gift for God and to introduce my church to another avenue of ministry.

Sunday was powerful ALL Day. We continued our advent series, "God is Closer than you think" with our sermon coming from Luke 10:38-42 and we urged the members "Don't Miss the Party" Martha invites Jesus to the home for what seems to be a dinner party but gets so lost in the preparation, she forgets the Prince of Peace is in the House. She is mad at Mary for not helping her and orders Jesus to tell Mary to come and help her. Jesus in effect says, Martha you are missing the party, only one thing is necessary and needful and Mary has chosen that one good thing.

During this Advent season many people are so busy making preparations to buy this, cook this, plan this that we have lost sight of the one who the holiday is all about. We have become so obsessed with the other stuff that we have forgotten the one needful thing. We encouraged the members in order not to miss the party they need to give up their worries, they need to concentrate on worship and understand that Jesus is worthy. The Lord blessed in spite of the limitations of the preacher.

We closed the day with an evening service where the church had a Pastor's aid program honoring my family. I am blessed with three beautiful girls Rachael, LaBraia, and Raven. Pastors Andre A. McGhee and K.D. Witherspoon came over to bless us in this program. I thank God fortheir fellowship, friendship and faithfulness to God as preachers and Pastors in this area.

Pastor Witherspoon killed the house. Many members of Macedonia had never heard my brother preach so they didn't know how powerful of a preacher spoon is. THEY KNOW NOW. He ran and drug everything in the house. I am glad I know he is my friend.

As grateful as I am for the friendship of these pastors, I am even more honored to be the Pastor of Macedonia and to be the recipient of the riches of God as distributed by this loving church. My mother taught me that people don't have to be nice and when they are nice they don't have to be nice to you, so when the occasion comes where someone is nice, the least you should do is say thank you. God bless Macedonia and I love you very much. It was a great weekend.