He said to them, “Come and see.”  They came and saw where He was staying and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).  – John 1:39

I spent 30 years of my life in Tamassee-Salem schools.  I went for 13 years K-12 like pretty much everyone does, and then I spent 17 years teaching there.  I’m 47 years old now, so that is almost 64% of my life that I’ve spent there.  I have seen with my own eyes the town’s steady, sometimes sharp decline since the 80’s.  There are a handful of people that want the town to live and are doing what they can to not only help it survive, but maybe one day even thrive again.  I certainly want to do my part.

When I was a teacher at Tamassee-Salem Middle/High, I grew the most as a Christian.  I volunteered my teaching services to the Lord and told Him I’d preach if He opened the door.  I have had so many opportunities to preach to so many groups of people in my hometown.  I even have videos (that you will never see) of me filming myself in the empty auditorium preaching to the “masses.”  I would then watch so I could critique myself and improve.  For years, it has been a dream of mine to hold services in that auditorium.

Well, the time has arrived where this is at least a possibility.  Of course, I have already hit some obstacles, but that is okay.  I’m pretty sure when any follower of Jesus seeks to do anything for Him, evil doesn’t simply roll out the red carpet and offer to help.  Evil resists . . . especially around the birth of anything.  Pharoah wanted to kill Moses as an infant, Herod wanted to kill Jesus as a child, and the Pharisees wanted to prevent the spread of the Gospel in the early church.  Simply put, there will be opposition.  This should surprise no Christian.

Even though I can’t use the auditorium, I can use the parking lot.  I really want the first ever Eagles Nest Church service to be on 1/1/2023.  I don’t know when the next one will be after that, but when the story is told of the birth of this church, I want this service to be part of the foundation.  Maybe my dream dies after this one service . . . I’m okay with that.  But maybe, just maybe, God sees fit to let it live.  

I say all that to invite you to the back parking lot of the Eagles Nest Art Center at 4:00 this Sunday.  I pretty much only chose John 1:39 this morning because Jesus told the first couple of followers to meet Him “at the tenth hour.”  The Jewish day started at sunup around 6 am, so the tenth hour would be around 4 p.m.  I hope you guys will “come and see” what the Lord does.  It will be a super simple service.  I will give you the order:

1. Sing Praise
   1. Our God is an Awesome God (Rich Mullens)
   1. I Have Decided to Follow Jesus . . . no turning back
2. Open the Word of God
3. A time of prayer, anointing, and laying on of hands for God to lead us in 2023.

If just a couple of people come, and this is all we do and all we ever do . . . I think that is just awesome.  If God wants to take it and do more with it . . . I think that is even more awesome.

Basically, anyone who comes will witness a seed being planted into the ground.  Some seeds live and produce more seeds.  Some seeds die and never make it.  I’m looking forward to seeing what this one does. 

I do ask that you say a prayer for the seed.

Lord, You are the great giver of abundant life.  Thank You for every wonderful thing You have done in my heart, mind, and life.  Will You do it in others who don’t know You?  You know that I seek to win those to You who are far away from You.  If it be Your will, use this little parking lot service on New Year’s Day, 2023.  Nonetheless, may Thy will be done, here on earth, as it is in Heaven.  Amen!