Newsletter Archive

'On the Edge' Archive:

August 10th, 2010
It’s been a busy summer, but God has blessed River’s Edge in powerful ways! His strength has been evident in every ministry and especially the Awana awards night and Vacation Bible School. We’ve met new families and added several to the church family. Right now, we’re approaching a new season of ministry for the church and again, it will only be by God’s strength that His will can be accomplished. The scripture above represents a season in David’s life when the Amalekites had kidnapped the families of all of David’s men, including his own. David and his army came home to find them gone and there was so much hurt and anger that the men wanted to stone David for allowing it to happen. David turned to his one and only Source of power…the Lord God Himself! David strengthened himself by his trust in the Lord and led his troops to rescue their wives and children without anyone being hurt! Only God could do that! Only our Lord God can give us the strength for our personal lives and the next steps of ministry for River’s Edge. In the next several weeks, our Vision Team will be meeting to evaluate the vision, purpose and ministries of the church. I am asking you to begin praying with me to be open to the Lord God’s leading and especially His strength! I’m truly excited about our next steps. God has certainly been good to us over these last six years! Let’s allow Him to strengthen us all for what lies ahead!

March 10th, 2010
God is at work! This brand new year has brought the joy of serving the Lord to River’s Edge. We see God at work all around us with new families joining the congregation and new ministries sprouting up to serve our community. Following the Lord Jesus has been our focus as we have begun a year of sacrifice unto God. Everyone is working hard to share their faith and make an impact upon our world with the love of Jesus Christ. Thanks for all your service to the Lord and get ready, God has just begun this work in us! Remember that this Sunday, March 14th, we begin the Reality Series for the next seven weeks. Every adult and teenager will receive the 40 Day Experience Study Guide in which we will discover the Seven Realities of Experiencing God. You don’t want to miss any of the next seven weeks. I promise the Lord will transform the way you think about knowing Him and discovering His will for your life. You will study the realities in personal devotions each day, study them in the Sunday School Small Group time each Sunday morning, and I will preach the biblical passages that talk about the seven realities during the sermon time each week. Do you want purpose for living?......Be in church the next seven weeks!

January 7th, 2010
This brand new year is filled with exciting possibilities from the Lord. We look up at His heavens and are amazed by the work of His hands. We stand in gratitude for all the blessings He has poured out on us in this last year. I’m personally thankful for each of you and your commitment to the testimony of Christ. I want to encourage you to stay focused and consistent in the Word of God this year. Now is the time for a deep devotion to the things of God and to move forward in His mission for River’s Edge. The Lord has positioned our church family in a strategic area for His glory. We have all the resources we need to lead people in our community to a transforming relationship with Jesus. I began asking you last week to carry an Operaton Andrew Card on which you can record 5 names that you will be praying for to find peace with God and new life in Christ. These five persons can be anyone you know from school, work, your neighborhood or family. As we continuously pray for the Lord to work in these lives, it is certain that we will see God at work among us to lead people to Him. We will also experience continued growth in the church family. Have you picked up your card yet? They are located in the church welcome center. Start now by compiling your list of names and praying for each person to come to know Jesus. God cares about us all. This is why He gave us such a beautiful place to live and share His blessings....

October 26th, 2009
Where is your Zeal? Too often, we have all the mechanics of ministry mastered, but we leave the Master and His zeal out of our plans! It is simple to become so involved doing what we feel comfortable in that we fail to understand the Lord calls us to “uncomfortable living.” We misplace our “zeal for the Lord,” and lose our focus. There is real spiritual energy for living when we are zealous for what God desires. We can’t just focus on what we want or the things that we think will make us committed believers and servants. The zeal for Christ and His kingdom involves making His priorities for reaching a lost world the immediate focus and vital cause of our day to day lives. It’s easy to lose your zeal! We replace the zeal for Christ with being “busy” with what we think is Kingdom business. All the while we wonder why we lack the drive to move forward and accomplish more and more for God. Could it be that we have shoved our zeal for the Lord deep into a spiritual closet and have just forgotten the joy of sharing Jesus with a person who doesn’t know Him? Being zealous for Christ underlines the need to do some spiritual house cleaning, bring all our confessions before the Lord and let Him motivate us for the ministry! There is nothing like the energy and joy that is created when we lead one lost person to the Savior. Jesus is the One who saves, we are just the ones He may use to tell the story. Where is your zeal for Christ today? Hidden or out in the open and ready to be used?...

September 22, 2009
I’ve been overwhelmed by the presence of the Lord as we have met for worship in this last month. Our God has been so faithful to us as His church and He has provided for every need. Our new building has opened up so many more possibilities for ministry and service. I stand in awe of the Lord! Just think, five years ago today 26 of us met in a club house in Forsyth Countyon the edge of the Chattahoochee River and prayed. We asked God to show us His steps in beginning a new church family. We sang, we cried out to the Lord and we wondered at how He would answer. After that night, I went to Gate City, Virginia to preach in revival services for a week. All the while we were praying and seeking the Lord. The congregation in Virginialaid their hands on me and prayed during the last night of the revival and all the members shared with me that they believed God was going to do a mighty work in the new River’s Edge Baptist Church. Then it happened. We met for our first worship time at the River Club in the Grand Cascades community on Sunday morning, October 3, 2004. During that worship service, almost 50 people committed to help start River’s Edge. Now look at us….five years later the Lord has forged a mighty church with the opportunity to reach thousands of people who need Jesus as their Savior. God has provided for all the needs and has even placed us in a building positioned in the perfect location from which to minister. From a club house to a convenience store to a new ware house to a building that is a ready made ministry tool, the Lord has been in all of them because the Lord’s Presence is in us! Never forget that the God Who called us out to begin River’s Edge five years ago is going with us today into every neighborhood, job location, sports event, school and home we walk within. His Presence gives us hope and celebration. His Presence is the reason we come together to worship and serve. It is His Presence that gives us hope and it will be His Presence that sees us faithfully through to the end! There is so much to rejoice over and so much that God has called us to do. As we celebrate our Fifth Anniversary as God’s Church on Sunday, October 4th, never forget where we came from (God’s Presence) and where we are going (God’s Presence forever)!...

April 28th, 2009
God gives a promise to all who will repent and believe in His Son as the Christ. The promise is salvation. I find myself thinking more and more about the amazing gift of God’s salvation and grace. The astonishing fact is that He would want to save me or any of us, yet He loves us that much! Now, more than ever, believers in the Lord Jesus must share this great Good News of God. It is exciting for me to see people searching for answers, probably more than ever in my lifetime, and to understand clearly that I can share with them the truth of Jesus. I was born for such an hour and so were you! We have understood the promise of God and now we can point others to this saving knowledge. The Lord has placed River’s Edge in a great position to proclaim Jesus as “the Way, the Truth and the Life”. Nothing hinders us but a lack of faith and maybe a tinge of fear. Can I ask you, why are we here other than to share Jesus? What would our purpose in life really be about, if Christ is not our Promise from God? The Apostle Peter preached a simple and straightforward sermon to all the people in Jerusalem during the Feast of Pentecost just after the ascension of Jesus to heaven. Peter let the Holy Spirit speak through him and over 3000 people committed their lives to Christ that day. I believe we too can experience the Spirit’s power and leadership in our lives. Just believe in the salvation promise of God and share the news! Remember that there are folks all around you who need to have their questions answered. Let God answer through you!...

February 5th, 2009
Are you weary? The world around us today saps our emotional, physical and spiritual strength doesn’t it? But, God is faithful and we belong to Him! We are discovering this truth in the EKG: The Heartbeat of God study we are doing over these next 40 days. It is good to know we serve a God who is greater than financial distress, has the power to mend broken relationships and is stronger than our biggest fears. We may be weary, but our Lord will bring His harvest if we do not give up! I want to encourage you today to continue in your 40 day study and be consistent. God is teaching us about His character and His nature of love for the world. He is showing us how we are a treasured possession in His kingdom and the impact we can make in the troubled world in which we live. You have a glorious purpose that the Lord has created you for. Trust Him to guide you and your family in His ways and to bring a real harvest of blessings into your life! Don’t give up, give it to God!

November 25, 2008
When the economy is failing, wars seem unending, the political landscape is liberally changing and the everyday challenges of life are overwhelming…give thanks? Yes indeed! The Apostle Paul had it right when he proclaimed this message to the Thessalonians. The Lord God is still sovereign over His creation and His people! There is no need for fear or discouragement because our God is more than able to navigate us through the most difficult days. Think of the pilgrims at Plymouth in 1621…..they spent 3 days giving thanks yet they had lost friends and family to the wiles of the new world. Food was scarce and not many of the Indians were their friends. They gave thanks and celebrated God’s love and faithfulness because this was their “lifestyle,” not just a holiday. We too have much to celebrate. God has blessed our families and River’s Edge beyond measure. This season is so important to share our gratitude to the Lord by sharing Him! Whether during Thanksgiving or Christmas, our families and friends need to know Jesus Christ as their Savior. If we live in a “lifestyle of gratitude,” they may just want to know “how” we can be so thankful! So, we will tell them, right? Give thanks by giving Jesus!

September 29th, 2008
I stand in awe of our majestic God of all blessings! Just to think that this week we celebrate four years together as River’s Edge Church gives me such thanksgiving unto the Lord! I cannot put into words what these last 4 years have meant to me and my family. We have been showered in the grace of God by this wonderful fellowship of Christians, by each one of you! The church has grown together in love and compassion for a world who needs Jesus. We have seen families come to Christ and children make their first steps of faith. We have experienced international missions in Guatemala and backyard missions right around the corner. God has given us the privilege to partner with Mosaic Christian Fellowship who is about to step out into their personal ministry for the Lord and we will pray for them and walk with them as they move into their new building space in October 2008. We have seen lives transformed by the eternal gospel and all we can do is “bow down toward His holy temple in reverential awe of Him!” Let me say “Hallelujah,” for each one of you! I could never have imagined four years ago that serving the Lord with committed believers would be this joyful and satisfying. I am so excited about what is on the horizon for the church family. Jesus has only just begun to make us into what He intends for us to be. Let’s do everything we can to listen and follow our Good Shepherd!

July 11th, 2008
All through the month of June we looked at this Scripture in Isaiah 54 and how the Lord was preparing the Children of Israel to return from their captivity in Babylon back to the Promised Land. This passage has terrific relevance to where we are as His people and how God is preparing us for an exciting future as we reach new people for Christ. The main word I would like to share with you is "preparation." Often, even in the Christian Church, we "fly by the seat of our pants" in God's mission instead of carefully listening and preparing the way for the Lord's blessings. River's Edge needs to be preparing for the great opportunities that the Lord has in store. Our mission is to impact the world with the love of Jesus Christ. God has certainly blessed us over the 3 years we have been together. Our size has doubled since the beginning, we have seen new families continually come into the fellowship, we have a children's ministry, missions ministry, music ministry, apologetics ministry, and prayer ministry that are all truly amazing. Best of all, there is a real sense of community among the church body. These things could only happen by the hand of God and no one else!

April 24th, 2008
Being in the presence of Jesus brings new perspectives on life. Two disciples walking down the road to Emmaus never dreamed they would encounter the Risen Savior as they traveled. Often, I don’t believe Christians expect to experience the presence of Jesus in worship, service or in every day life, yet He is here! He is working in His creation and in our lives if we will slow down long enough to recognize Him. When we refocus our attention upon the Savior, our hearts “burn within us,” as we discover the truth about life and how important it is to experience each day in the joy of Christ. It is so easy to become distracted with the busyness of our world and families that we miss the joy of seeing the “big picture.” We are created for eternity and not just for today. Don’t worry about all the small things that have no impact on your eternity or the eternity of others. Slow down just a little. Take some time to pray and ponder the things of God. Let His Spirit minister to yours. Feel your heart burning and know it’s not from the taco you had the night before, but it’s because you know God has everything under control and He is not surprised by anything that happens. He is ready to lead you in His best. He knows just what you need! In this busy season of graduations, year end shows, accomplishments, sports championships and nearing summer schedules, please take time to walk in the presence of the Savior!...

March 4th, 2008
The words of Jesus are so clear! Our blessed mission from the Lord Jesus is to “let the children come”! Let them learn, grow, fellowship and find Jesus as their Rescuer! These words of our Master have really tugged at my heart lately. The need is so great in this generation to teach the children and give them the opportunity to experience Christ. It is our calling as His church to teach our children, grandchildren and any young ones put under our care the Word of God. The calling is first to every parent to teach their children the Bible and then the church should partner with that parent to support the foundation of faith begun in their hearts. I am more committed than ever to make sure River’s Edge is reaching the next generation of believers. The Awana children’s ministry has been and will continue to be our major tool to teach kids. We have seen the results already in just 18 months of beginning Awana. Please continue to pray for our children’s leaders and workers each week. From the Awana leaders, to Bible Study teachers to Children’s Church workers, these folks care about the souls of children! The entire church family cares and that’s what makes my heart glad to be your pastor! Note that on Sunday, March 30th we will celebrate our 2nd Annual Awana Day. This is a Sunday in which we will invite all our Awana parents to worship with us and see the things their kids are learning and doing. There will be some great testimonies and victories shared in this special worship time. Make sure this is on your calendar and don’t miss it! Children matter to God and to everyone at River’s Edge!...

January 7th, 2008
These words of Jesus to Jairus the synagogue ruler are a tremendous encouragement for our new year of ministry at River’s Edge. This is a new year of destiny for us in which I believe the Lord is going to do more than ever in this church family! One question we have to ask ourselves as we launch into a new season of ministry is, “How high are our expectations?” Often, I believe we hold ourselves back from God’s will and His blessings when we do not expect Him to fill us and empower us to impact our world. We become comfortable with ourselves and our surroundings and desire to stay in our idea of a “safety zone” rather than step out into the Lord’s best for us. This may mean feeling uncomfortable and even fearful of making a mistake. The ultimate faith is entrusting God with all our decisions, hopes and dreams. Jairus was afraid for his daughter who was near death. He heard the news that his daughter had died as he was bringing Jesus back to help her. Jairus could have given up and given in to fear, yet Jesus’ calmed him by saying, “Do not be afraid, only believe.” Let these words be our direction for 2008! It will be the greatest year yet as the Lord prepares us to reach more children and families through the Awana ministry; to make International Missions a priority through our new Guatemala partnership; to make Church Planting a continued structure in our DNA as we continue to support and partner with Mosaic Fellowship; and to allow Personal Evangelism to be our focus through the FAITH Evangelism Ministry. Don’t be afraid of how God will lead us or what He will do this year – just believe that He can do it and He wants to do it through us! ...

November 16, 2007
I am so thankful for you! The River’s Edge family is such a blessing to God and to my family. I’ll say it again, I am very thankful for you! You give thanks to the Lord and call upon His name, and God is pouring out His goodness on this church. The very first purpose we have as Christians is to worship the Lord and give thanks unto Him. It is not just a season of the year called, “Thanksgiving.” It is an attitude of thanksgiving shared among God’s people and to the peoples of the earth who need to know about Christ ...

September 25, 2007
We have entered a year of destiny for River's Edge! An historic partnership is being molded by the Holy Spirit between us and the Mosaic Christian Fellowship! God has placed us together to be His ambassadors and to plead on His behalf to a wanting world. I am so excited to see the River's Edge family embrace the Mosaic family. Two congregations are placed together in one location for His glory and purposes. This new partnership to not only share a building, but share ministries, will develop into a new model for church planting and the Lord is using each one of us to be a part of it. How great is our God! ...

July 17, 2007
The Lord is at work even in the middle of Summer! This week, we are experiencing the blessings of God's hands in our Game Day Central Vacation Bible School at Countryside Village. Children, Teenagers and Adults are all coming together to worship, teach, learn and grow. We can rejoice at what God has done by knitting the group of folks together for the week and we can also celebrate the way the Lord is working in the lives of little ones who without this VBS, might never hear the gospel message! ...

May 16, 2007
It's been a great beginning of Spring at River's Edge! God has shown us so many new opportunities to reach families for Christ and some of those families have already joined the congregation! I truly believe when we "delight" in the things of God, He pours out His blessings on us. "Delighting in the Lord" really means desiring what He wants for our lives rather than just what we want. It is so easy to be caught up in our own preferences and wants even as believers in Christ. Unfortunately, many Christians today are seeking the greatest show or fanciest facility to bring their worship to God. This really makes church "about them" rather than "about the Lord." It makes me so joyful to remember that right from the beginning, River's Edge has boldly proclaimed that true church is the people of God maturing in Christ, majoring on ministry, and loving the world in missions ...

March 22, 2007
The past two months have been an outstanding time at River's Edge! All of us have been blessed by the 40 Days of Community emphasis as well as Awana Day. Thank you for your dedication and spiritual preparation leading up to the revival services this weekend! You can never schedule a spiritual revival. Revival comes in God's timing and in His ways, but all of us can put ourselves in the position to experience revival. This comes through prayer, fasting, worship, ministry and simply calling out to the Lord in a united fellowship of believers. We have been doing this and now I believe the Lord wants to bless us in mighty ways. "Keep the Dream Alive" is the theme for the 4 services beginning this Sunday morning at 10:45 am. I will be preaching Sunday morning and we will celebrate the Lord's Supper together ...

January 17, 2007
Get Ready! This new year of 2007 will be an outstanding opportunity to reach our community for Christ. I believe the Lord is about to do “amazing things among us,” just as He did for the Israelites during Joshua’s day. How do I know this? It has been so evident over these last weeks how the Holy Spirit has led our worship and serving times. God is supplying our needs and preparing us to make an even greater impact on our world. Please continue to pray, serve and give! You are blessing so many people with your efforts and I know God is pleased! ...