Obit - Ruby Smith

Ruby Smith, mother of Dr. Sylvester Smith, Senior Pastor of the Praise and Worship Center in Anniston, AL, went to be with the Lord yesterday.

Funeral Services will be at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday at Collier-Butler Chapel.

Mrs. Ruby C. Smith, age 85 of Gadsden went to be with her Lord and Savior on Monday-July 27, 2009. Revs. Dennis Johnson and Frank Tucker will officiate with burial at Wynnville Cemetery, Snead, AL. Collier-Butler Funeral and Cremation Services Directing.

Mrs. Smith was born to Clarence S. Mathews and Mamie E. Herrington Mathews on September 19, 1923 in Blount County, She was a longtime resident of Etowah County, a member of Triune Baptist Church, and was preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Aubrey L. Smith, daughter, Nadine Justice and son-in-law, Bert M. Stephens.

Survivors include her children: Gean Stephens, Cullman, Rev. Sylvester (Bobbie) Smith, Anniston and Loretta (Tom) Harper, Alabaster. Grandchildren: Jeanelle Mathis, Jeff Roden, James Justice, April Smith, Jonathan Smith and Holly Harper. Six Great Grandchildren and Two Great Great Grandchildren. Sister, Lois Hopson, Oneonta and brother, James W. Mathews, Blountsville. Numerous Nieces and Nephews. Pallbearers will be grandsons. Honorary Pallbearers will be nephews.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to the nurses and staff at Northside Health Care Center and the Nurses and Staff of 7th Floor at Gadsden Regional Medical Center. The family received friends from 6-8 p.m. this evening at the funeral home.

Bishop Larry Dotson Passes

"We are all so sorry to share that Bishop Larry Dotson, Overseer of Florida for the COGOP passed away this evening. I know that we all join Sister Frankie Dotson, their son Joe and family in prayers for comfort and strength. We are all grieved and shocked at this loss of a wonderful friend, partner in ministry, and leader for this family of ministry."

Sincerely,
Bishop Randall E. Howard
General Overseer
Church of God of Prophecy

As details become available we will be sharing them online at http://www.cogop.org/.

Death Announcement

Pastor Sylvester Smith's mother went to be with the Lord this morning following a long illness.

The family will be receiving friends at Collier-Butler Funeral Home in Gadsden, Alabama, Tuesday evening, July 28, 2009, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

The funeral will be Wednesday, July 29, 2009, at Collier-Butler Funeral Home in Gadsden, Alabama at 11:00 AM.

Sylvester Smith is the Senior Pastor at the Praise and Worship Center in Anniston, Alabama. Please be in prayer for this precious family.

http://couragetoday.blogspot.com/

Today's Quote

"More would love Jesus if we who believe the doctrines of grace were gracious! Our lives must 'adorn' doctrine." (Titus 2:10) - Pastor Rick Warren

Indigenous Leadership

When building a team, you have two basic choices:

• Raise up from within
• Bring in from outside

Let’s consider the benefits of using people from within:

1. You develop a culture of leadership development. When people see others excelling and growing, it naturally produces a leadership culture. Instead of bringing in the “professionals” from outside, it promotes equipping and promoting from within.
2. People already understand your culture. When you bring someone in, it is always questionable whether or not they can catch the spirit and fit into the culture of your ministry.
3. Local people are generally more loyal to the vision. Those who come from within are generally more loyal to the vision. Rather than being another rung on their ministry ladder, most who come from within see your ministry as a life calling.
4. They can bring huge life experience. Those who have been successful in non-ministry roles can bring a wealth of wisdom from their life’s learning into a local church.

There are plenty more benefits. What are your thoughts?

[based on an article from LifeChurch.tv : swerve by Craig Groeschel]

Today's Quote

"Acceptance isn't approval. Jesus publicly defended a woman’s dignity without approving her sin. He corrected privately. Copy him!" - Pastor Rick Warren

Church Leader, Learn This Lesson

"Learn this lesson – if you are to do the work of a prophet, what you need is not a scepter but a towel and basin.” - Bernard of Clairvaux

[from Larry Duncan]

Perfect Pastor?

In my imagination, I sometimes think I could create the perfect minister. I'd take the eloquence of ______, the knowledge of ______, the zeal of ______, and the pastoral meekness, tenderness, and piety of ______. Then, putting them all together into one man, I'd say to myself, "This is the perfect pastor."

Now there is One, who, if he chose to, could actually do this; but he never did it. He has seen fit to do otherwise, and to divide these gifts to every man severally as he will. (Richard Cecil, Memoirs of the Rev. John Newton, p. 107.)

[by John Piper, from Desiring God Blog]

Pastor, God Loves You Immensely

Luke 12:6-7; "Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows" (NKJV).

Pastor, you need to hear what you so often share with others. You tell people on many occasions that God is truly interested in their life and the circumstances that they are facing. Be reminded today that there are times in which we need to reflect on those spiritual truths that we have deposited in the lives of others. Is it possible that the enemy seeks for us to forget those truths when we are facing our own personal adversity? It is at those moments that we need to remember the promise of Christ found in Luke; God watches the sparrows but people are more valuable than the sparrows.

Be reminded today that Biblical truth. God has not forgotten you. God has not forsaken you. You are significant to God and the service that you offer to Him is important. God is near to you during your adversity and He is aware of the fears that you are facing. But rest assured that God is for you and that He is not against you. Trust in Him with all of your heart and lean on the promises of God and He will see you through the struggles that you are facing.

Take time today to remember the promises that God has declared to you and over you.

Blessings on your walk with God.

[by Michael Willingham]

Growing Leaders

Leaders grow other leaders when they are focused on three things:

1. Growing themselves daily with the Lord through prayer and Bible study
2. Growing others through discipleship (one-on-one or one-on-few)
3. Growing the gifts of those around them by helping them to discover and focus those gifts on their personal passions

Review the list above - are you doing all three? If not, how will you change the way you lead to incorporate all three of these aspects of leadership growth into your weekly life?

[from Agile Ministry by James Higginbotham]

Today's Quote

“When I preach I teach; when I teach I preach.” - Martin Luther

Love Your Leader

If you serve under a good leader, count your blessings and love your leader.

Leadership is often a solitary role. While leaders are often responsible for those they lead, they often go under appreciated. They spend long hours making sure things are taken care of, with little thanks in return. We all hope this isn’t the case, but unfortunately it happens more than we like.

How can you love your leaders? Try giving back to them. Here are some ideas:

• Give them a sincere “thank you," perhaps with a short story on how they have positively impacted you or others
• Send a thank you card and enclose a gift certificate to their favorite store (something non-churchy can make it more personal)
• Give them a weekend off by covering for them
• Babysit (or hire babysitters) to care for their children and give them a date night with their spouse
• Give them a nice meal by cooking or providing a gift card to a nice restaurant (no fast food)

Take some time to love the leaders you report to and the leaders you serve alongside.

[from Agile Ministry by James Higginbotham]

Public School Students Still Have Religious Rights

A newly launched campaign is reaching out to public school students, teachers and parents across the nation to promote greater awareness about the fundamental right that students have to express themselves – even when it comes to religion.

“Students have the liberty to express their faith at school,” clarifies Eric Buehrer, president of Gateways to Better Education, which has teamed up with the Alliance Defense Fund for the National Free to Speak Campaign.

“One of the most important civics lessons all students should learn is that freedom of religious expression is a fundamental right of all Americans, and, as the U.S. Supreme Court has stated, this freedom does not end at the schoolhouse gate,” he adds.

Over the past 15 years, the U.S. Department of Education has thrice issued guidelines on freedom of religious expression in public schools – two times (1995 and 1998) during the Clinton administration and once (2003) under the Bush administration.

Included in the guidelines are statements clarifying a number of important religious freedoms on public school campuses including a student’s right to share their beliefs, pray, evangelize, read scripture, and invite students to participate in such activities so long as they are voluntary, student-initiated, and not disruptive or coercive.

Under the guidelines, students are also free to express their religious views in a class discussion or as part of an assignment, so long as the expression is relevant to the subject under consideration and meets the requirements of the assignment.

“Faith is an important part of millions of teens’ lives,” notes Buehrer. “The classroom should be a safe place for students of all ages to express their faith in class discussions and homework assignments, just as the U.S. Department of Education has affirmed.”

The problem, says ADF Senior Legal Counsel David Cortman, is that the guidelines had been sent to every school district but didn’t make it into the hands of school administrators, teachers, parents, and students.

“As a result, some schools have practices that are in direct violation of the guidelines and the U.S. Constitution,” adds Cortman, whose Christian legal group often intervenes in religious liberty cases.

As part of the National Free to Speak Campaign, Gateways to Better Education will be distributing pocket-sized pamphlets that it has produced to the churches, communities, and schools of those who order them.

Additionally, ADF has donated its time to the National Free to Speak Campaign by offering to send a personalized six-page letter to school officials clarifying the freedom of religious expression students and educators have on campus.

The goal of the two organizations is to distribute 500,000 pamphlets and reach 5,000 schools by the end of the year.

“This campaign will help schools improve their practices,” says Cortman.

[By Lawrence D. Jones, Christian Post Reporter]

Where Is Michael Jackson?

More Like Jesus

"When I surrendered to Jesus, I found not a tyrant, but a savior; not a boss, but a brother; not a dictator, but a friend." - Pastor Rick Warren

Wouldn't it be nice if Christian leaders could be more like Jesus?