preacherman

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Issues Confronting The 21st Century Church

I want to thank everyone for your prayers and help with which you have blessed my family. It means so much to us. I will know the results of biopsy test this next week. We appreciate your continued prayers. We are still in need of financial help, but a couple of people have sent enough for some of my medications this month, so thank you for that also.



I was wondering-what issues do you think will confront the 21st century church?

Will these issues that you pick change doctrinal stances, direction, and the missions of the church? If so, how? If not, why not? Do we sometimes make small insignificant issues "big" issues? Why do we do this? What can we do to focus on the isses that matter?



What do you think?

Share your thoughts.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Needing Prayers and Financial Help

I want to begin by saying that I appreciate all of my readers. You make blogging worth it. I appreciate everyone' sprayers for my health over the last two years.

I am needing your prayers yet again. Over the last week I have had a constant migraine that hasn't gone away. I am going to the neurologist this next week to see what he can do for it.

In July, I was diagnosed with Barretts' Disease, which is the disease of the esophagus that causes cancer to eventually develop. I have to have EGDs done every 6 months. I am scheduled for an EGD on October the 16th. They will also do a biopsy to see if I have cancer or not.

I am also having severe nerve pain left from the Guillain-Barre' Syndrome. There are times at night where I will wake up with charlie horses and severe muscle cramps and my days are filled with burning pain all over my body.

Again, your prayers are greatly appreciated. My family and I have felt and have been blessed by your prayers. Prayer is so powerful. Over the last two years of my life, our faith has grown so much as we have seen God work in our lives. As you can imagine, though, medical bills are piling up.

I will be covered by my wife's health insurance in early 2009, but my pre-existing health problems won't be covered for a year after that.

God has blessed my family and I with a wonderful congregation here in Rocksprings, Texas who loves and cares for us. They have been so patient with us during my time of illness. I will forever be grateful for all that they have done.

I also wanted to let everyone know that over the next few months my family and I will be going through a huge transition. My wife graduates in December and has accepted a job as the Kerr County Assistant Auditor which will begin January 5th. We praise God for the job. We have also found a home. I have a couple of job prospects as well, but they might not materialize for a while. One thing I have learned is that God always provides for his people no matter how hard life may be. Our oil jar never seems to completely run out.

I know and understand that we are living in a difficult economy right now. I have lost some financial support due to the economy. My medical fund is now down to only $50. I greatly appreciate those who have been helping us. What my family and I need now is financial support from individuals or congregations until February because my wife doesn't get paid until February 1st and we desperately need to be closer to my doctors, so we feel the need to go ahead and move.

We see in scripture that Christians are to take care of Christians who are in need. (James 2:14-17; Philippians 2:4-5; Colossians 3:12-17; 1Timothy 6:17-19) . I pray that someday I might be able to pass on the help we've received.

If you would like to give to help our family over the next couple of months and to help with medical bills, you can send donations to:

Kinney Mabry
PO Box 785
Rocksprings Texas 78880

This is my prayer from Paul in Philippians 1:9-11, "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that may come through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God."

Thank you so much for all that you have done and continue to do to help us.
We deeply appreciate it.

Share your thoughts.

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Becoming "An All Things To All Men" Christian

Paul is, in my opinion, the best example of how to do ministry and evangelism. I believe, whether we like it or not, we as believers send a message to those in the world around us.

Yes, we should share our faith with others, but I believe the greatest influence in peoples' lives is how we live everyday, 24/7.

Think about it for a moment. Think of the top 5 titles of sermons which have touched your life. Now think of 5 people that have touched your life. Easy enough, right?

Paul mentions, in 1 Cor. 9:22, a way to really evangelize and do ministry, as he says, "I have become all things to all people so that by all means I might save some."

What is Paul saying? What does he mean? What does this passage tell us about making a difference in the world in which we live? What can we learn from the verse? Do some miss out on the meaning of this passage? How do we become "an all things to all people" Christian?



What do you think?
Share your thoughts.