North Greenville University

How to Pray for the Next NGU President

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Today is going to be an exciting and intensive day.  I am going to be on the campus of North Greenville University for a pivotal time of meetings concerning the next president of the school. I have written previously on my newfound role as a trustee of the school and how I am more confident than …

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Where Christ [Still] Makes the Difference

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During my senior year of high school, I struggled with a calling into ministry.  Years earlier, I was confident concerning the direction but lacked the specifics.  I knew I wanted to serve Jesus with my life but just unsure how.  The ebb and flow of high school seemed to be challenging that leading.  Years removed from the initial …

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Racism and the Gospel

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On January 27, 2016, I preached at North Greenville University’s chapel on the topic of “Racism and the Gospel.” I think it struck a nerve that needed to be struck.  I had some incredible conversations with students and faculty since then.  Pray that maybe this will cause you to think about what the Bible has …

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For Such a Time as This (Maybe)

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I got the privilege to preach in the North Greenville Chapel service today.  It is always great to be back at my alma mater, but I consider it a huge responsibility to preach to that student body and faculty. Today, I preached a message entitled, “For Such a Time as This (Maybe)” from Esther 4. …

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Knowing Jesus Recap (And What’s Next)

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I know I am two weeks behind to give you a “Knowing Jesus” recap, but things have been a tad busy as of late.  In short, the event exceeded my expectations which were very large.  After all the prayer, study, work, and preparation into this event and resource, I set the bar high in my mind.  I never imagined what would happen that night.

I thought the entire roof was about to blow off the building.  When God’s people responded to the revelation of Jesus Christ, it was beyond intense.  As the storyline unfolded as we told the life and ministry of Christ through song, genuine, passionate worship erupted among us.

I had many comments (some of them were very sup rising), and here are the most repeated ones:

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North Greenville Crusade Recap

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We had a busy yet wonderful time at North Greenville University this week.  I got the extreme privilege to serve as the preacher for the North Greenville Crusade.  This partnership with the school and the local Baptist Association is an attempt to unite the church together and bring the Word!

The picture above is from Saturday night at the festival they had at the football stadium.  To invite people to the Crusade, they had free food, inflatables, and music throughout the night.  You can see my two sons really enjoyed their snow cones.  No matter how I tried to show them to stay clean, it was obvious they enjoyed it and you could even tell what color each of them had hours later that night.  The evidence was undeniable!

And that was my prayer for the week.  I wanted Jesus proclaimed so that there would be no denying that He had been in our midst!  I wanted the campus atmosphere to be different.  I wanted people to walk around and their faces portraying that they had “tasted and seen that the Lord is good” (Ps. 34:8).

Here’s what I preached:

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NGU Crusade (Appreciate the Prayers)

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I was blessed to go to North Greenville University (it was College back then).  The Spirit used some special people to lead me there, and I remember when I knew I wanted to go to school there.  I was sitting in the President’s office listening to Dr. Jimmy Epting talk about the figurine on his table.  It was a picture of Jesus washing a disciple’s feet.  Here was the President of this school telling a high school senior that he saw that as his job at the school.  He was to serve others and point them to Jesus.

In a time when the other schools I was looking at were drifting further from the Bible’s teaching, here was a man who embraced it wholeheartedly.  The other people I met along the way were just confirmation.  I went to school there and it served as some of the most impacting, pivotal 4 years of my life.

That’s why when I was asked to be a part of 2 things this year at NGU, I was beyond humbled.

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NGU Men and Women’s Conference

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  I would appreciate your prayers for our family this week. Amanda and I are speaking and leading worship at North Greenville University in 4 chapels Monday-Wednesday. This week is called the Men and Women’s Conference. Dealing with sensitive issues such as forgiveness, purity, dating, and marriage is a big challenge. Please pray God uses …

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The Little Engine That Could God

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[Yesterday, I preached on a message at North Greenville‘s Chapel I am loosely calling “The Little Engine That Could God.”  I wrote out the intro in manuscript form.  It was a message on the omnipotence of God.  I’ve been praying about writing a book on the attributes of God by looking at a negative image of God, then correcting it through the Scripture’s teachings.  Writing Freshman 15 for college students was very challenging but also very rewarding (you can learn more about the book here or order it on Amazon here).  Praying about it and would love you to pray with me about if I should go further.  Here is the intro:]

“I think I can.  I think I can.  I think I can.”

 

We all remember this iconic phrase from the children’s classic The Little Engine That Could.  This favorite tale recounts the story of a train hauling toys up the mountain to some needy children.  When the train is unable to make the steep trek, the toys try to chorale other passing trains to carry them up the mountain.  Either due to disinterest or inability, all the trains refuse the responsibility of carrying this load.  Eventually, a little blue engine comes by who is unsure if it is able to pull the load up the mountain.  Seeing the disappointment in the toys‘ eyes, the engine decides to give it a shot.  Repeating that famous phrase over and over again, the engine eventually musters up enough strength to help those out in need.

Many of us follow The Little Engine That Could God.

No one would readily admit to following that God, but we prove it by our actions.  When encountering difficult situations in our lives with what seems to be insurmountable odds, we look for the best and the brightest to come to our rescue.  We research and poll people concerning what they would do.  We seek direction from doctors, teachers, preachers, counselors, and every expert you can imagine.  Once we exhaust all of our human resources, have made meager attempts of our own, we address the King of kings and Lord of lords and utter one of the most tragic phrases resonating in our churches today, “All we have left to do now is pray.”

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Wednesday in Greenville

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On Wednesday, I made my Greenville rounds.  First, I went to North Greenville Universtiy, my alma mater, and spoke in chapel.  It was fun to be back there and speak on Revelation 3.  I also loved having my buddy Micah McMinn lead worship before I got to speak.  He led them to the throne, all …

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