Harvest Chapel

Kids Mirror Parents

2008-04-10T16:44:00.000-05:00

An American Bible Society study conducted by Weekly Reader Research found that children actually do mirror their parents’ behavior. Parents who attend church weekly tend to have teens that worship weekly, while 78% of parents who never attend worship services have teens who never attend, according to christiannewswire.com. The survey found almost 80% of America’s 30.2 million 12-18 year olds think the Bible is important and 87% of parents agree. Yet, only 11% of teens read the Bible daily.
Pastors Weekly Briefing 3/7/08

Balance

2008-04-08T08:35:00.003-05:00

As we are going through the series, "Desperate Households", I have received feedback, that one of the biggest challenges in life is maintaining proper balance. I would agree that it sure can be difficult. I came across this in some of my reading this week, and thought it brought an interesting perspective:

"Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them -- work, family, health, friends and spirit and you are keeping them all in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls ---family, health,friends and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life" Brian Dyson, former vice president of Cocoa-Cola, who delivered the commencement address at Georgia Tech in 1996.

Keep moving towards Jesus!

Study: Spirituality a big part of kids' happiness

2008-03-31T18:20:00.001-05:00

By Ron Csillag, Religion News Service

Spirituality is a major contributor to a child's overall happiness — even more so than for adults — according to a new study from the University of British Columbia.

The study tested 315 children aged 9 to 12, measuring spirituality and other factors such as temperament and social relations that can affect an individual's sense of happiness.

"Our goal was to see whether there's a relation between spirituality and happiness," said Mark Holder, associate professor of psychology and the study's co-author. "We knew going in that there was such a relation in adults, so we took multiple measures of spirituality and happiness in children."

Past studies have shown that in adults, spiritual feelings and higher levels of religious behavior typically account for about 5% of a person's overall happiness, said a UBC statement.

The results of the UBC study came as a surprise: 6.5 to 16.5% of children's happiness can be accounted for by spirituality.

"From our perspective, it's a whopping big effect," said Holder. "I expected it to be much less — I thought their spirituality would be too immature to account for their well-being."

Children in the study were asked to rate statements such as "I feel a higher power's presence," and answer questions including, "how often do you pray or meditate privately outside of church or other places of worship?"

Parents were also asked to describe each child's apparent happiness and spirituality, and teachers rated each child's happiness level.

The study's authors plan to conduct the same research in India to see whether children score similar results in a country not dominated by Christianity.

2008-03-28T09:55:00.001-05:00

From, Too Busy Not To Pray, Bill Hybels

"From birth we have been learning the rules of self-reliance as we strain and struggle to achieve self-sufficiency.
Prayer flies in the face of those deep-seated values. It is an assault on human autonomy, an indictment of independent living. To people in the fast lane, determined to make it on their own, prayer is an embarrassing interruption.
Prayer is alien to our proud human nature. And yet somewhere, someplace, probably all of us reach the point of falling to our knees, bowing our heads, fixing our attention on God and praying. We may look both ways to be sure no one is watching; we may blush; but in spite of the foreignness of the activity, we pray."

Let's remember the unlimited potential of a prayer offered in faith.

Think About It...

2008-03-28T09:51:00.001-05:00

"Mountaintops inspire leaders but valleys mature them." --- Winston Churchill

2008-03-26T10:50:00.001-05:00

"You weren't an accident, You weren't mass produced. You aren't an assembly-line product. You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on the Earth by the Master Craftsman."— Max Lucado

General Colin Powell's Rules

2008-03-25T22:17:00.001-05:00

I came across this the other day, and thought it was some sound advice....

1. It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.
2. Get mad, then get over it.
3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your
position falls, your ego goes with it.
4. It can be done!
5. Be careful what you choose. You may get it.
6. Don't let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.
7. You can't make someone else's choices. You shouldn't let someone
else make yours.
8. Check small things.
9. Share credit.
10. Remain calm. Be kind.
11. Have a vision.
12. Don't take counsel of your fears or naysayers.
13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

2008-03-20T13:22:00.004-05:00

A great big thank you to the Harvest Chapel famiy and all my other friends around the country that have been praying this week for my dad. We sense the peace that only God can give in the middle of difficult times. We are believing for a strong recovery and God's best!!

WB

Thanks, Kasey

2008-03-14T09:26:00.002-05:00

Special thanks to Kasey Robinson, for donating his time and his talent to redo our web site. It looks great and it has never been easier to use. Kasey we appreciate all your hard work!

Love Wins

2008-03-13T16:32:00.003-05:00

Prov. 18:24 - A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

1 Cor. 14:1 NLT - Let love be your highest goal,

Prov. 3:27 TEV – Whenever you possibly can, do good to those who need it. Never tell your neighbor to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now.

Romans 14:19 NIV – Make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

James 3:18 MSG - You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

Romans 12:10 GWT- Be devoted to each other like a loving family. Excel in showing respect for each other.

Phil. 2:3-4 NIV - Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Current Beliefs

2008-03-11T17:40:00.003-05:00

Current beliefs about God among the formerly churched....

Christian but not devout............................42%
Spiritual but not religious ........................24%
Devout Christian ........................................19%
Believe in God but not Christianity..........10%
Uncertain about God ..................................5 %
Don't believe in God ...................................1%

Source: www.lifewayresearch.com

Why Should I Study the Bible?

2008-03-11T08:43:00.005-05:00

1. It is commanded.
2 Timothy 2:15 Work hard so God can approve you. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

2. It shows the way of salvation.
2 Timothy 3:15 NLT You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.

3. It gives confidence to believers
John 10:27-28 NLT My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me.I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them away from me,

4. It is profitable
2 Timothy 3:16 NLT All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.

5. It will LAST
1 Peter 1:25 NLT But the word of the Lord will last forever. And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.

2008-03-10T17:11:00.001-05:00

Prayer is the contact of a living soul with God. In prayer, God stoops to kiss man, to bless man, and to aid in everything God can devise or man can need." -- E.M. Bounds

2008-03-05T19:41:00.000-06:00

Not long before she died in 1988, in a moment of surprising candor in television, Marghanita Laski, one of our best-known secular humanists and novelists, said, "What I envy most about you Christians is your forgiveness; I have nobody to forgive me."

John Stott in The Contemporary Christian.

2008-03-04T11:57:00.002-06:00

"I firmly believe a great many prayers are not answered because we are not willing to forgive someone." Dwight L. Moody

Can't Give What You Don't Have

2008-03-01T09:27:00.003-06:00

There was a story told that when Berlin was being divided into East Berlin, controlled by the Communists, and West Berlin part of the free world, a group of East Berliners dumped a whole truckload of garbage on the west side. The people from West Berlin thought they'd pick up all the garbage, put it on a truck, and dump it back on the east side. Then they decided that wasn't the way to handle it. Instead, they filled a dump truck with canned goods and other nonperishable food items went over to the east side and stacked them neatly, and put a sign beside it. The sign read, "Each gives what each has to give."

It is true, you can only give "fruit" to others when you are living a fruitful live inwardly....

It'a Worth the Effort

2008-02-28T17:16:00.000-06:00

“MAKE EVERY EFFORT to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him.” 2 Pet. 3:14

“MAKE EVERY EFFORT to live in peace with all men… See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” Heb. 12:15

“Anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, MAKE EVERY EFFORT to enter God’s rest. …” Heb 4:11

“Let us MAKE EVERY EFFORT to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” Rom. 14:19

“MAKE EVERY EFFORT to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Eph. 4:3

“MAKE EVERY EFFORT to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive…”
2 Pet. 1:5-8

Who Cares?

2008-02-27T09:57:00.003-06:00

Only 39% of people who dropped out of church perceived their church as “caring,” finds Rainer Research. Meanwhile, 51% called their church “judgmental.” Among other unfavorable views from those who quit their church, 41% said their church was “insincere.” Only 20% felt their church was “inspirational”; 30% said their church was “authentic”; and 36% said their church was “welcoming.”

The survey was conducted among 18- to 22-year-olds. Polls have shown increasing hostility and negativity toward Christianity, mainly from younger non-Christians – a majority of whom have a bad impression of Christianity, according to The Barna Group. But more reports are indicating that young adults not just outside of the Christian faith, but those in the pews are turned off by believers. Sam Rainer III says, “When we are known more for what we are against than what we are for, what other outcome can we expect?” Young born-again Christians were as likely as non-Christians (22% vs. 23%) to say Christianity in today’s society no longer looks like Jesus, according to David Kinnaman of The Barna Group. Despite the bad impressions expressed by those who dropped out of church, Rainer found that the churches of young people who did not drop out were viewed very favorably. A majority of the young people who did not quit described their church as “caring,” “welcoming,” “authentic” and “inspirational.” Only 19% of those who stayed said their church was “insincere” and only 24% felt it was “judgmental.”
(Christian Post 1/23/08)

Whats is the remedy? We need to be modeling a relentless love for God, a no-strings attached love for people, and demonstrate a love for life that only God can give! Love Wins.

God's "Whoever" Policy

2008-02-23T15:23:00.002-06:00

Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. (Matt. 10:32)

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matt. 10:39)

Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother. (Mk. 3:35)

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, whoever does not believe will be condemned. (Mk. 16:16)

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life , but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him. (John 3:36)

Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. (John 4:14)

Whoever comes to me I will never drive away. (John 6:37)

Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. (John 11:26)

Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. (Rev. 22:17)

Whoever includes YOU!

Interesting

2008-02-20T09:41:00.001-06:00

According to International Bulletin of Missionary Research Vol. 32, of the 6,691,484,000 people in the world in ’08, 2,231,421,000 are Christian; 1,412,301,000 are Muslim; 887,991,000 are Hindu; Buddhists number 391,122,000; and Jews 15,044,000. Every 24 hours the world has a population net growth of 219,000 people. Christians number 170,000 converts per day but find 91,000 defectors, so the net growth is 79,000 Christians each day. Christian martyrs: 480 per day. Of the 2,113,199,000 “affiliated” Christians, 1,476,690,000 are “church attenders”; Roman Catholics claim 1,130,401,000 adherents; 422,659,000 are Independents, 386,644,000 Protestants and 252,891,000 Orthodox. 423,675,000 are in Africa; 355,008,000 Asia; 556,359,000 Europe; 530,187,000 Latin America; and just 220,374,000 in North America. The compilers know of 39,000 separate denominations and 3,684,000 congregations around the world. Church members globally have an income of $18,170 billion. Christians have comprised approximately 33% of the world population since 1800.
Sightings 1/14/08

Interesting Stats

2008-02-19T19:42:00.007-06:00

\\ 55% say it’s not important that a Presidential candidate shares their same religious beliefs.
\\ 47% of baby boomers say they want more time with their loved ones during holiday seasons.
\\ 40% of baby boomers want peace and quiet from their active lives.
\\ Almost 1 out of 10 U.S. households is renting a storage space.
\\ 2008 Super Bowl 30-second TV spots have been sold for as much $3 million.
\\ 59% of self-proclaimed Christians in America attend church each week.
\\ 68% of U.S. households donated $25 or more to charity in ’04, the most recent year for which data is available.

2008-02-18T19:24:00.006-06:00

If you are looking for a great read to refresh and renew your perspective on how much you are loved by God, you need to check out 3:16: the Numbers of Hope.

Max Lucado does an incredible job at keeping it real and relevant.

Phillipines Update

2008-02-16T17:05:00.001-06:00

Right now I have a three year old watching me type. Myrna has been with Frontline Children rescue ministry for a year now. We have been busy the last few days. Thursday afternoon we went to the garbage dump it was very humbling experience for all of us. We were able to share God's love with the people in the middle of the garbage dump. Here are just a few pictures of some of the things we have been doing.

After we went to the garbage dump it was time to celebrate valentines day. We to a restaurant called Max's. We had chicken and rice. This is an annual event of Philippine Frontline ministry we had a few games and a night full of fun.

Friday it was time to share with the FCA kids and we had devotion with them we all got to share. The theme was being fair and it was a great morning. We then taught at the school and we all had a lot of fun.

It was then on to another life group, and then on to preach at the crusade. It went very well Sheryn sang and I preached. Many people came to the Lord, and we also prayed for many people as well.

It is so amazing we leave in one day. I will post one more time before we go on our 31 hour trek back to America. Thanks for all your prayers and support.

Pastor Barry

Crusade and Hospital ministry

2008-02-13T03:10:00.007-06:00

This is the blog that never ends. I have typed this blog three and now lets see if the fourth one will be a charm. Since yesterday I went to a life group in Benagale. It was a place that was very beautiful. It was near a river and to get to the house you had to walk down steps that were carved out of the dirt. I got to share to the group and encourage them. I tried to speak in Tagalog. We then had a snack of Philippine soup and then it was time to take a tricycle back to eat dinner and then head to the crusade.

We had to drive for over thirty minutes with rice fields and palm trees everywhere. There were a lot of people there. There were over 300 people there. The people were blessed and there were over 150 people who committed there life to Christ. I was able to share with many people and we were able to pray with many people as well. Then this morning we went to the houses again and followed up with as many people as we could.

Then this afternoon we went to pray with the sick at the hospital. I prayed with kids that had flu, asthma etc. Now I am eating a grilled cheese as you can tell I am roughing it.

Also Aaron is working on building a playground and I will post some more pictures as soon as I can. I am going to be going to a leadership development meeting here in 15 minutes and I will give you an update in the morning as well. I will try to continue to keep these posts longer sorry for the short posts earlier.

Have a great day!!!!!

Barry

Jail ministry this morning

2008-02-11T22:12:00.000-06:00

We just finished sharing with over 200 inmates in the San Pablo City jail. It was a very great time of ministry. Early this morning we shared devotions at the FCA school. It was amazing talking to the prisioners and seeing what they are going through. The Frontline Ministry goes to this jail every week and it was a great time. Our team shared and I was able to preach it was a great time. Tomorrow I will have pictures of the crusade tonight. We are having a wonderful time and we are missing the cold.

Barry