Onesimus3

Happy Mothers Day

2010-05-10T06:48:00.003-04:00

Wow! It has been a long time-so finally a posting and a great Mothers Day video to enjoy.

Oral Roberts

2009-12-18T15:30:00.004-05:00

WOW! It has been a long time since my last post. Or since anyone of us 3 posted. History was marked this week with a milestone, the home-going of Oral Roberts to his eternal reward. His life and ministry were truly amazing and God did tremendous works through his life. We can only wonder how God will move in the future. Definitely something to pray about.

Here is a video clip in tribute to the man

http://www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/content/2008/oralRoberts/

Giving should be a Joy!

2009-09-21T12:55:00.000-04:00

School time

2009-09-01T13:55:00.002-04:00

Just a hello and a note that we are praying for all of our students as they start back to school. We are praying that God would bless you and use you for His purpose.

Pastor P

Solutions for Life

2009-08-17T12:17:00.007-04:00

I want to introduce you to a great website that is full of sound Biblical counsel concerning relationships. Take some time and check it out, you will probably add it to your favorite bookmarks.

www.cloudtownsend.com

Pastor P

The Truth Project returns August 23rd

2009-08-04T12:35:00.001-04:00

Beginning August 23rd, 5:30pm for 13 weeks
We are going to look at the power and importance of having and holding to a Biblical Worldview. Everyone should invest time in viewing this series.

The Rivera Bunch

2009-08-01T09:19:00.004-04:00

Here's the story of man named Brady... oops with six kids now I kind of get confused with that other guy. Major differences: No dog and there never will be and no live in maid, though an occasional visit by one would probably be enjoyed by all especially Carol, I mean Kristi.

Seriously, here is a picture of our beautiful new daughter Kyra Janelle Rivera.
She was born on July 30 (same day as my sister) @ 1:45 PM. She weighed 7lbs 13 oz and was 20.5 inches long.

This picture was taken a couple of hours after she came into the world.

Not completely sure who she looks like yet, though she has kristi's chin and the long skinny rivera feet.

Baby is doing great, last night was a long one for mom: Tough battle with pain and overall post surgery discomfort and issues.

Kids are crazy about her already and I told the boys they really have their work cut out for them now, helping me look out for 4 girls plus mom. I think they are up to the task, besides the girls are pretty tough in their own right guess it comes with the territory-5 siblings and a mom as amazing as Kristi for a role model.

Well gotta go for now.

Will try to post more pics alter.

PB

8 hours old

It's a Girl

2009-07-31T10:35:00.002-04:00

Someone, Anyone, contact Pastor Ben and ask him to post video of their new addition to the family. Kyra Janelle is healthy and doing well. And almost one day old as this gets posted.

Pastor P

Summer

2009-07-26T08:11:00.002-04:00

Boy! You can sure tell that it is summer-time. I was visiting various Blogs and no one has them up-to-date. I suppose that everyone is at the beach and windsurfing.

And in fact, since this Blog had gotten a tad stale I thought I should add something. So, enjoy your vacations and get yourself ready for the rest of the year which is full of routine.

Blessings to all- Pastor P

Exciting week at Praise Assembly

2009-07-08T13:04:00.002-04:00

This is not your Grandmother's Vacation Bible School.

There is just so much going on every
moment between 9 and noon.
There are scores of kids just having a
blast and even all the volunteers seem
to be having a great time too.

This looks to be the very best VBS that Miss Lucie has ever orchestrated in all the years that she has been doing this annual week of Bible fun.

I have been blessed with tasting some of the snacks this week. The ones that have been baked right here on the premises were the best.

What a Great Week of activities.

Pastor P

Home Stretch

2009-06-29T06:25:00.003-04:00

Well, we are in the homestretch. Only about 4.5 weeks until the baby is born. As I shared in yesterdays sermon, we are pretty set for the arrival. Just a few final preparations to make.
1. Stock up on diapers
2. Get the bassinet ready
3. Decide on a name

It is hard to believe that it is almost July already.
It has been a busy summer already.
Since school let out on June 5th, we have had a weeks vacation in the Catskills, the boys had a phenomenal run in the playoffs. There team made it all the way to the Championship Game (They lost), but Benjamin won the clinching game to get them there. He also hit his first homerun, a 3 run shot off the other teams ace to seal the win. Joshua had a really good year, going from a sub last year to a full time starter and regular contributor. He has one more year left in the Majors, could be a tough lefty pitcher with a little work.

After that crazy week, the boys and I went to Youth Camp for a week. There were 37 total from Praise. What an amazing week of fun, laughs and God. We had students baptized in the HS, some really took there worship to a new level and others left camp challenged and invigorated to take their relationship with God more seriously. Plus the Praise kids dominated Bible Quiz and
were on 4 of the top 5 teams in the final points standings.

June is ending with the older kids in NYC spending a week with their grandparents and cousins and Kristi and I using the time to get some stuff done around the house.

All in all a great start to summer and a wild time to be getting ready for a baby.
PB

Prairie Home Companion

2009-06-28T19:56:00.003-04:00

Put on a lot of miles this week, probably more than 1,200 miles in all. Drove up to see my family and pick up a few items from my parent's home in western Massachusetts. The next day up to Maine to visit with Ana and Chuck and help her decorate the new apartment (what a blessing from God). Ate loads of lobster and fried clams. Three work days in all, one fun day exploring Kennebunkport. Then back down to western Massachusetts to the Berkshires to a place called Tanglewood. Took in a live radio broadcast of the Prairie Home Companion and special guests were Martin Sheen, Arlo Guthrie, and Steve Martin who is playing banjo in the video. First learned to enjoy Garrison Keiller on those long drives from the East to the Midwest. What a fun radio show. Hunt for it sometime and enjoy the stories that he tells. Glad to be back home after all that.

Pastor P

Surviving the Economic Meltdown

2009-06-10T12:40:00.003-04:00

Here is a tremendous source for financial wisdom during these challenging times.
Check out this link and download yourself a free PDF copy of the book.
http://survivethemeltdown.org/

Pastor P

CHANGE

2009-06-02T10:17:00.003-04:00

Photo of Hurricane Ike (at left)

Below are various quotations on change. Everything seems to be changing very rapidly and I am not sure that the average human being has any real handle on all the change that is around us today. Of course my concern is that in the midst of such turbulence we would have a haven, a place of security and mooring, somewhere to anchor us. Only one source that I know of, God.

His Word and His Spirit will faithfully guide us. He is our eye in the storm. Remember now, the disciples had to wake Him as He was sleeping through their storm. That's how much peace He can bring. He is the Prince of Peace! Pastor P

They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.
Andy Warhol (1928 - 1987), The Philosophy of Andy Warhol

Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.
Carol Burnett (1936 - )

Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix.
Christina Baldwin

We all have big changes in our lives that are more or less a second chance.
Harrison Ford (1942 - ), quoted by Garry Jenkins in 'Harrison Ford: Imperfect Hero'

Things do not change; we change.
Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862), Walden (1970)

Nothing endures but change.
Heraclitus (540 BC - 480 BC), from Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers

It's not that some people have willpower and some don't. It's that some people are ready to change and others are not.
James Gordon, M.D.

Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better.
King Whitney Jr.

We did not change as we grew older; we just became more clearly ourselves.
Lynn Hall, Where Have All the Tigers Gone?, 1989

The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121 AD - 180 AD), Meditations

Any transition serious enough to alter your definition of self will require not just small adjustments in your way of living and thinking but a full-on metamorphosis.
Martha Beck, O Magazine, Growing Wings, January 2004

The more things change, the more they remain... insane.
Michael Fry and T. Lewis, Over the Hedge, 05-09-04

There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.
Nelson Mandela (1918 - ), 'A Long Walk to Freedom'

Change your thoughts and you change your world.
Norman Vincent Peale (1898 - 1993)

Turbulence is life force. It is opportunity. Let's love turbulence and use it for change.
Ramsay Clark

This isn't good or bad. It's just the way of things. Nothing stays the same.
Real Live Preacher, RealLivePreacher.com Weblog, January 03, 2004

Nothing in the world is permanent, and we're foolish when we ask anything to last, but surely we're still more foolish not to take delight in it while we have it. If change is of the essence of existence one would have thought it only sensible to make it the premise of our philosophy.
W. Somerset Maugham (1874 - 1965), The Razor's Edge, 1943

Jesus is definitely returning very soon

2009-05-27T21:00:00.002-04:00

I am not able to share much in the way of specifics on this blog site. But...let me say that I am very excited about the strategic plans of Bible Alliance and the Fire Bible for 2010 and so I wanted to post some kind of reference to these plans. Once I am home I will be able to share personally in one of our upcoming services. However, this planned outreach through the Fire Bible will be an incredible effort, aiming very close to the "Gates of hell."

We are going to be involved in the single most ambitious endeavor ever. And these plans are so sensitive that they should not be posted anywhere on the internet. Cannot wait to share with everyone once I get home.

Pastor P

Socialist Europe

2009-05-17T15:43:00.002-04:00

As a follow up to my previous blog: Here is an excellent article that reinforces what I had said about our nation. We are on the verge of traveling down the same pathway as socialist Europe and if we do we lose our freedoms-enjoy the article entitled, "Live Free or Die".
http://www.hillsdale.edu/news/imprimis.asp

Just click the link then select "Imprimus" from the lower left side of the home page.

Enjoy
Pastor P

So Good to be Home

2009-05-09T05:25:00.002-04:00

Just returned home from Paris and Nice, France. The time away was a good change of pace. Always fun to travel and to see new things, or even old things.

But-there is no place like home! And I am speaking comparatively. There is no other nation like ours in the entire world. There may be some that are a close facsmile, but we truly are unique as Americans and we should be proud of our distinctives.

Within a day of arriving in Paris I was again reminded of the problems with Europe. One glaring problem with Europe and specifically France is the entrenched socialism in that nation. If you want to ruin people's lives and rob them of every ounce of creativity and amibition then teach them not to be responsible for themselves. The economic problems in the United States right now have nothing to do with the American people. It was the result of government and political incompetence and corporate greed. We, unlike the Europeans will pull out of this because we believe in entrepreneurial striving and we will create again and build again. Let's just hope and pray that the Obama administration doesn't become too European. A strong belief in Republicanism, (I am not speaking of political affiliation here) whereby people take responsiblity to support themselves and govern themselves is the hope of America. Our nation was built on this principle which allows us so many freedoms. The most important freedom of course is to be godly instead of sinful. Pray for our homeland. God Bless America!

Pastor P

Boys of Summer

2009-04-24T11:11:00.003-04:00

The picture on the left is of Mariano Rivera (no relation) of the NY Yankees.
My sons love baseball and have said since they were little that they would play for the Yankees. The fact that we can get Yankee shirts with our last name on the back and not pay extra for special printing is a plus.

They may never make it to that level, but we sure have had some fun with baseball. This past week has been a busy one. Last Saturday, they were part of a Perfect Game. Joshua made a nice catch in the outfield to preserve it. On Sunday they won 6-4 and Benjamin got the win. He pitched 2 innings of relief and got 4 strikeouts. Jump to Thursday and they won 2 games. One for their school (ECA) and one for their other team-the Mets. Benjamin got both wins: 4-3 and 10-0. He had 17 strikeouts and Joshua helped with his hitting.

Some people think baseball is boring, but as far as I'm concerned there is nothing more enjoyable than getting outside and running around on a sunny day and playing with my kids or cheering them on as they play.

I guess it comes back to a saying we have in our Youth Ministry: It's not where you go or what you do, but the people that can make it fun. People/relationships are the important thing and my family (all 7 of them) make my life fun.

PB

Bad Guys Die, Hostage rescued

2009-04-13T09:38:00.003-04:00

What great news! A victim/hostage has been rescued. And the perpetrators received the consequence of their actions.

Now, I am sure that there is going to be some pundit somewhere who is going to criticize the USA for being such a monster when it comes to handling international affairs. And so let's keep things in perspective, Captain Richard Phillips was trying to earn a living delivering humanitarian aid to African people. He was not intending to do anyone harm, just doing his job which included providing help to others in need. Nothing he did was intended to provoke 4 men bent on doing evil. These were 4 thugs who deserved what they got.

Contrary to contemporary world culture and even American society, Evil people should be punished for their actions. They are violating not only American law, and possibly international law, but most importantly God's law. Galatians 6:7 states that "God will not be mocked- a man will reap what he sows. If he sows to the flesh he will reap destruction."

For too long now we have been excusing evil, wrong behavior, and sin, It was only a month ago when a pastor was shot and killed in Illinois and the press tried to link the murder to the shooter suffering from Lyme Disease. Pulease! There is evil in our world. And evil reared its ugly head 5 days ago off the coast of the Horn of Africa.

And although the Bible tells us that "God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, He much prefers that they turn from their evil ways" (Ezekiel 18:23), numerous times in His Word He also tells us that"Evil men will be cutoff", Pslam 37:9, and "Evil men will bow in the presence of good men" Proverbs 14:19.

Why should evil triumph so often in our world? Why do we so seldom expect this kind of outcome where bad guys die and the good guys live? And I just wonder if the media, in the days ahead will try to turn the tables and try to vilify the good guys. I pray not this time.

God Bless these superbly trained Navy Seals. They too are a group of good guys who are just going about their job, rescuing lives. Protecting good men from evil men.

Pastor P

He is Risen!

2009-04-11T12:11:00.003-04:00

Two millenia have come and gone and there is still no tomb containing bones of our Messiah. In other words, "make no bones about it", He rose from the dead. Jesus Christ was killed for our trangression (sin), the sacrifice of His own life has reconciled us to God. And then the "power of God raised Him from the dead" and He lives forevermore. And because He lives we too shall live. With only one condition- that we know Him and acknowledge Him as our Savior.

Christus Victor!

Pastor P

Stem Cell Research debate

2009-04-10T09:42:00.002-04:00

Thanks Steve Lee for sending this info along to me.
This is incredible-no need to kill babies to get good cells.
Proof again that God's ways are better than our ways.
Shame on the Liberal Left, both media and politicians.
Pastor P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDFJOzu9SyM

General Superintendents Cabinet

2009-04-08T09:24:00.003-04:00

Last Thursday and Friday was our first Cabinet meeting of 2009. Our special guest was Ed Stetzer from LifeWay Research. The basic report that he gave us based upon a survey of Assemblies of God pastors showed that the Assemblies of God as a fellowship was ahead of all other denominations in areas of discipleship, doctrinal loyalty, and practice of distinctive beliefs. That is the Good News.

The bad news is that the bar has been set pretty low. My interpretation of the information given is that the evangelical church of today is rapidly descending to the levels of the mainline denominations before us. And that saddens me, it truly is bad news.

Unless you believe as I do that God will once again raise up a Revival Movement to replace all that is dieing or has died. One thing that I will always remember through my concentration in Church History is that Christian groups tend to follow a cycle. The cycle begins with a man, then becomes a movement, then a machine, and finally a monument. I know that this is simplistic but it is still true. Just look at the history of any major mainline denomination or any of our 100+ Universities in America that once had their roots in the purpose of training men and women to serve God.

When we get "too big for our britches" and get comfortable doing things in our own strength and power, God then looks for someone who will lean on Him and trust Him for the impossible and the cycle begins again. And this is where we need to be-right now.

For info on various church research go to www.edstetzer.com or www.lifewayresearch.com

Pastor P

New Challenges

2009-04-06T14:27:00.002-04:00

Well, this will definitely be a year of new challenges for my family and I.

Our oldest son will be turning 13, we are expecting the latest addition to our family in August (They say it is a girl) and come September our oldest kids will start attending new schools. For the last several years they have had the privilege of attending a local Christian School. The school has had some changes this year and are no longer offering the discounts which made attending possible.

We know that this will be a big change, but we also know that nothing happens that God is not in control of. However, we do ask for your prayers for the transition and favor wherever they end up
PB

Wednesday April 1

2009-03-30T09:02:00.002-04:00

Well, an interesting holiday is quickly approaching- April 1st is National Atheist's Day.

Psalm 14:1-"The FOOL says in his heart, 'there is no God'"

A great way to celebrate would be to plan now to tell someone you meet that day that there actually is a God and he lives in your heart.

Blessings-Pastor P

Pastor Ben has lost his Wisdom teeth

2009-03-25T18:06:00.005-04:00

I know that this is "old news" right now-but I thought I would post a photo of Pastor Ben following the removal of his wisdom teeth. Hey, why would a youth pastor need them anyways!?

Cute little fella- isn't he? With the chubby cheeks and all.

Pastor P

Go Surfing

2009-03-12T13:47:00.002-04:00

You have got to check out two great websites-one especially for kids and the other for anyone, especially adults.

Kids will enjoy: www.bgmckids.ag.org

the other site is all about world missions: www.world.ag.org

Check these out the next time that you're surfing

Blessings,
Pastor P

What a weekend

2009-03-09T06:58:00.003-04:00

It really was a great weekend! We concluded our Annual Missions Convention this Sunday and Robert Solomon did a fantastic job in song. What a voice this guy has and he is a great communicator too. The Sunday evening banquet was a spread of wonderful ethnic variety.

I now realize that the whole missions emphasis is more than just focusing on reaching the world with the Gospel, it is also a practical illustration of the great diversity in unity that exists in the Body of Christ, particularly here at Praise Assembly. And a special thanks to those who attended wearing ethnic outfits. It was a blessed weekend.

Pastor P

Funerals can include fun

2009-03-05T18:30:00.006-05:00

Who says that funerals have to be all tears?!
Here is my son Mike demonstrating the improper use of a murphy bed. Unless of course you are an astronaut in total weightlessness.

This stunt brought us a
little
lighthearted-
ness when we traveled out to St Louis in October for my father-in-law's funeral. Mike is a great traveling tool. I bet you wish you had one.

Pastor P

Sunday School and Debt

2009-03-05T12:22:00.002-05:00

You have got to be in our Adult Elective class. This Sunday we cover DEBT. And here is a funny video clip that I am going to show that basically sums up why so many Americans and the US government is in so much trouble. A lot of people just don't get it, so you may even want to watch this more than once.

Pastor P

Winter Cleaning-My office is almost done!

2009-02-25T13:47:00.005-05:00

It has been several weeks in the making, but my office is almost done. Walls are painted, floor is done and now I am in the process of putting everything back. The picture shows how much of a difference a little hard work can make-Just Kidding

It may not look as unique as that, but at least it got a much needed cleaning and facelift.

We are also doing some rearranging and purging at home. Some people get that urge every spring, but I get it about every 6 weeks and Kristi loves to rearrange furniture. So guess what I did on my day off yesterday? That's right-we totally re-did all the bedrooms.

I'd rather do it now and spend time outside when the nice spring weather finally arrives. Well gotta go this office won't get finished on its own.
PB

Missions Convention is approaching

2009-02-20T11:36:00.002-05:00

The unofficial start of our Missions Convention and World Missions emphasis is this Sunday evening, February 22.

Missionary Area Director, Bob McGurty will be here to share some very current updates of what God is doing in India.

Then the week officially begins Sunday morning, March 1st when our Adult Choir sings some inspiring numbers and I share on the topic of World Missions. In the evening service we will view this year's Missions Musical from the Assemblies of God Missions department.

Wednesday night we will enjoy a video biography about one of our missionary heros, Mark Buntain. He was so mightily used in India and everyone needs to hear his story.

Finally- the following Sunday we will meet one of Mark's spiritual progeny. Robert Solomon (photo above) is a real dynamo. Robert loves the Lord and ministers with all his heart. He will be with us both morning and evening. And remember- we are going to feast in the evening banquet, please remember to bring something ethnic to share as well as a dessert.

Missions Convention is such a great time of year here at Praise. I hope you will be part of it.

Pastor P

General Superintendents Cabinet

2009-02-20T10:33:00.002-05:00

It was a year ago this April that I was appointed to the General Superintendents Cabinet and in this initial meeting it was decided to move forward with the creation of the Assemblies of God Trust which would have three major objectives. These three primary emphases are church planting, investing in the next generation, and providing resources for evangelism and discipleship. And a lot has happened in just one year.

Work has begun on new resouces for discipleship via revamping of the Foundations of Faith curriculum, two scholarship programs have been created in order to encourage our young people to enter into ministry and to start new churches, and grants have been made available to financially assist new church plants.

And the results are beginning to show. According to a recent report from the AG Trust, "During the past 12 months, 43 churches have received matching grants and have made contact with over 70,000 unchurched people, seen 955 salvations, and are giving 11 percent of their general income to missions."

I am also proud to say that Praise Assembly is a Charter Member of the AG Trust.

The next General Superintendents Meeting is April 2nd and at that time I hope to give a very current report of all that God has done through this very ambitious strategy.

Pastor P

The Wedding, February 7, 2009

2009-02-10T06:23:00.004-05:00

Finally! All the weeks of frantic preparation and stress are over. The event has happened and went off without a flaw. Thank God for excellent weather which allowed 100% attendance of all those who responded. Thank you to everyone who did attend and shared our joy and honored our family with your support. We hope that all had a good time. And of course we pray God's richest blessings upon Ana and Chuck as they start their new life together.

We are truly Blessed!

Pastor P

Wedding for Anastasia

2009-01-20T06:50:00.004-05:00

Ana and Chuck get married in about 2 weeks, February 7 Thought you might enjoy a sneak peek at the chapel and the reception area. Willow Valley is a perfect setting for such an event. Looks like we will have at least 200 attending. There is still much to do but everything is coming together and it will be a beautiful celebration.

Pastor P

Floating in the Caribbean

2009-01-20T06:45:00.002-05:00

Here is a photo of part of the interior of the ship we were on last week. What a restful trip. The weather was terrible so we were encouraged to rest more and it felt great. This cruise was sandwiched in between Christmas and an upcoming wedding for my daughter - so the timing worked out perfectly.

Pastor P

Staff Christmas Hoe-down

2008-12-21T09:24:00.003-05:00

We had a few minutes this past month and so we all got together to celebrate the holiday a little differently this year. Poor Pastor Bert threw his back out and is still taking ibuprofen.

Pastor P

Christmas Stress Relief

2008-12-21T09:16:00.003-05:00

Enjoy the Elf video-As I had mentioned at our Adult Christmas Dinner, sometimes the pastoral staff just needs to get out and cut loose. It really helps with holiday stress!

Pastor P

Persecution Project Flight into Sudan

2008-11-13T09:24:00.004-05:00

Sometimes it can be hard trying to do good things to help others. Sometimes there are unexpected obstacles and challenges. But persistence in Christ will always find us victorious.

Enjoy the video- Pastor P

Election Day

2008-10-23T09:27:00.003-04:00

Great Video from General Superintendent concerning election day.
Watch-Pray-Vote!
PB

BEST INVESTMENT EVER

2008-10-15T17:11:00.003-04:00

With all the turmoil on Wall Street and around the world, and without a lot of comment from yours truly let me simply direct you to the wise words of the God-man Jesus;
MT 6:19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Pastor P

CAYA in a month

2008-10-04T08:48:00.003-04:00

Something new, something exciting, something more for those who are 20 and 30 Something.
A November 1 debut is planned for the kick off of CAYA. So, if you are looking for a little something more and want to focus on God and grow spiritually while walking alongside others with a common thirst, then these gatherings are for you. Here is a sample of the direction we hope to be taking.

General Superintendent's Cabinet

2008-10-03T18:32:00.003-04:00

This past week found me in the desert in California for our meeting. It was so very encouraging. Of course our General Superintendent, George Wood was there as was Alton Garrison, our Asst General Superintendent. And we had a special guest, Rick Warren from Saddleback Church. He only spent a few hours with us but I am still processing it all. His word to us was very simple yet profound and as we got to know him it became evident why he has been blessed with such a far reaching ministry. His book, The Purpose Driven Life is the second all time best selling book, second only to the Bible. He mentioned that when he requests prayer or someone offers prayer, he directs them to pray for three things on his behalf: Integrity, Generosity, Humility. He lives all three.

As one of his staff took our picture together I had Cathy take a photo of the two of us with her cell phone-here it is.

Pastor P

Closer to the end

2008-10-03T18:29:00.002-04:00

The Book of Revelation says that there will be a day when every tribe, language, nation and peoples will praise the Lord. We are rapidly approaching that day. Enjoy this music from youtube. The group is Aradhna and they are Indian believers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p187n4BZH3A

Pastor P

SYATP 08

2008-08-25T12:25:00.003-04:00

The theme for See You at the Pole this year is "Connect" and that is what we need to do with those in our sphere of influence. Watch this video to see how you can have a successful SYATP event at your school and start to Connect with your classmates in a way that will change their lives forever.
PB

AIM LOWER

2008-08-13T09:52:00.004-04:00

I thought I would share a rather thought provoking video with all of you. A simple yet powerful message on sharing the Gospel. Pastor P

Powerline Youth Group Returns from the South

2008-08-07T09:35:00.001-04:00

Whew!
I had a dream last night (nightmare actually) that everyone who went on the missions trip to Alabama, especially Pastor Ben and the Fine Arts contestants came back as this singing group.
Pastor P

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

When you Pray

2008-08-03T08:36:00.002-04:00

While most of America is on vacation and enjoying the summer months many Christians around the world are suffering from intense persecution. When you pray remember to pray for those in our eternal family who are in prison for the sake of the Gospel.
Heb 13:3, "Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."

Pastor P

Nostalgia

2008-07-31T09:15:00.002-04:00

WOW!
To regain 30 years. You have seen the other posts regarding my Dad and his passing into eternity. And you have also seen the music video in the previous post. This all got me thinking about looking for Christian music videos to post and I immediately went to one of the absolute best Christian guitar players of all time-Phil Keaggy. This is an OLDY about "Time". Where were you 30 years ago?

Pastor P

No Regrets

2008-07-26T19:13:00.004-04:00

Here's a song that will encourage you to say what you can while you can to those whom you care about in your life. I am so glad that I have no regrets-nothing left unsaid to my Dad-in fact I consider it a real blessing to have visited him only 2 1/2 weeks before he died. And although he never said it back to me I was able to hug him and tell him, "I love you". I always did. And of course those of you who have ever heard me preach, you know that I have really "talked him up" from the pulpit. He is my hero, he was a good Dad, and I will still continue to brag about him even though he is gone. Enjoy, "In the Living Years".

Pastor P

What is Truth?

2008-07-23T15:58:00.003-04:00

Plan to be in the morning service-July 27
I will be speaking on: TRUTH, False Prophets and False Messiahs
You can get a flavor by watching the video below

Pastor P

The Baton has been passed

2008-07-18T06:39:00.005-04:00

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

On Thursday July 17 my Dad died. He was 95 years old and had accepted Christ just 6 years ago. Although he lived most of his life without knowing the Lord he has left quite a legacy and most of that legacy is in the form of memories of his character. He is a testimony to the "greatest generation". He went through so much adversity and survived it all. Born to immigrant parents, Sebastiania was a boy during the Influenza epidemic of 1918 that killed millions of people worldwide, he witnessed two world wars, the great depression, went to work to help support his family as a young boy, sheltered and supported his family of 10 making a living as a trash man (before the fancy trucks and equipment).

He did a good job. He was a good man. Never ever complained about anything, never ever wanted anything for himself. I learned much from being around him and working with him in his trash business. Work hard, give your best to others, be selfless, care to make a difference. Good job Dad! And now the baton has been passed.

Pastor P

Missed Opportunities

2008-07-16T09:01:00.002-04:00

Enjoy the video... I thought this was a great reminder of just how busy we can be as Christians and how opportunities can suddenly appear when we least expect them. In fact, I remember being incredibly bored before I came to know Christ as my Savior. That is probably the reason that I was always getting into trouble. It is probably the reason that so many non-believers get themselves in trouble too. But anyways- since coming to Christ some 34 years ago I have been on an incredible fast paced journey. Watching this quick video reminded me of the great gap between their lives and ours. And yet in the midst of all that we do we have to be READY to stop and minister to people in need. Allow this video message to be a reminder-do not allow it to be a source of guilt. Christians aren't perfect-just forgiven.

Pastor P

MLB Allstar Break

2008-07-15T06:37:00.003-04:00

Rather than use the official Red Sox logo off their site again...

You get the point- here we are again this year and the Red Sox are once again in 1st place just in time for the AllStar Break. In the old days this event would signify a steady slide downwards away from any championship contest-but in recent years we have found that this is the time when they take off and begin to pull away from all the others. Yeah-Red Sox!

Pastor P

A Warrant for Arrest

2008-07-13T14:57:00.004-04:00

The International Criminal Court at the Hague will issue a warrant for the arrest of this man, Omar Al Bashir, president of Sudan on Monday July 14. Why has it taken so long for the world community to go after this smiling murderer of over 2.5 million people in southern Sudan (mostly Christian) and hundreds of thousands of African Muslims in western Sudan (Darfur).

I am amazed at how small time petty thieves are rounded up so quickly in our communities, but if someone is in a position of power everyone very quietly avoids confrontation. Murder is murder whether it is on the streets of Philadelphia or Wilmington or on another continent. Whether it be the killing on one or one million the guilty parties should be sought, arrested, prosecuted and then sentenced for their crimes.

This is a good first step- now who will take the next step of serving and enforcing the warrant?

Pastor P

A Nation of Whiners

2008-07-11T15:07:00.002-04:00

I can't believe the timing of this statement. You have got to click the link that is below and listen to just part of what Senator Phil Graham said about the American Economy and the American mindset. I have 3/4ths of a message completed dealing with this very issue- a message that I will share Sunday July 27-you do not want to miss it. The media is polluting our minds with lies and the politicians are using these lies for their own advantage. Why would we vote for someone to fix something is it were not broken. We are being told lies about America's economic decline and it is just not true. If there is a decline in America it is not financial, it is spiritual and moral. Keep in mind that Phil Graham has a PhD in Economics. He knows the economy and what is really a shame is that he is being vilified for telling the truth-amazing. We have never had it so good financially but because we are spiritually wanting we are not satisfied-goes for Christians too!
Be sure to be in service July 27, 10am.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AKrVptIdwQ

Pastor P

Think about it!

2008-07-09T12:15:00.003-04:00

Just think about this...

So many needs in the world and so many people proposing various answers and solutions. And even those of us in the church sometimes try to help others solve their problems by offering them our counsel, our financial help, networking for others. We are always ready to meet the physical and felt needs of those around us. Yet, it all comes down to this...the deepest pain and ache that anyone can feel is to feel "lost". To not know where they fit, why they are here or where they are going.

Because this is a universal and Biblical truth I would like for everyone who looks at this blog to click this link below and then to memorize the fact that our job, the task of the Church, is to tell people how to find relief from the aching that knaws at their heart and soul every now and then.
We all have a deep aching desire to know God and nothing that is created can satisfy that ache. The TRUTH is that only Jesus can make us complete and satisfied. And, He knows where we fit, He knows where we have been, and He knows where we are going. Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through me. If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior then ask Him to forgive you of your past and to come into your life and bring you new life. Enjoy the video!

Pastor P

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1403465084/bclid958471652/bctid1037207955

Happy Independence Day

2008-07-02T20:42:00.003-04:00

Happy 4th of July

This day on the calendar is more than just our nation's birthday. July 4, 1776 was the beginning of a great experiment, it was a brave decision, and above all it was a miracle. And for the most part the significance of this day endures for all the world to notice. I am however concerned that many Americans have forgotten the theological, sociological, and political roots of our nation. And for this reason I want to give each of you a link to the articles contained in the book illustrated to the left of this paragraph. Take the time to explore and be reminded of our short but grand heritage.

I have the privilege of traveling outside our borders about 2 times a year and as much as I enjoy exploring other countries and their history and culture there is no better feeling than to hear the immigration official at Philadelphia International Airport say to me, "welcome home" as he stamps my passport and permits me re-entry. And as Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz- "there is no place like home". We live in the land of the free and the home of the brave and I am proud to be an American and blessed to live the legacy left for me.

Check out this link-www.gcciusa.org/English/publications/eBooks/ARTG/book_ARTG.htm

Pastor P

Another Great Year for Boston

2008-06-19T17:58:00.004-04:00

The Celts have done it again- look at this list of championships:

1956-57
1958-59
1959-60
1960-61
1961-62
1962-63
1963-64
1964-65
1965-66
1967-68
1968-69 And the Red Sox are way out in front, who knows what will
1973-74 happen when the boys of summer finish their season. Boston
1975-76 fans have waited a long time to experience years like this.
1980-81 As they say in Massachusetts- It's wicked good!
1983-84
1985-86
2007-08 Pastor P

June Weddings

2008-06-04T08:32:00.002-04:00

Well...

June is finally here and wedding bells can be heard everywhere. It was just over a year ago that my own son got "hitched". And I am performing a wedding this weekend for a couple in our church. So- since June has been considered the month for marriage I am going to begin teaching and preaching on Marriage as a continuation of my series: Biblical Sense. It all starts this Sunday, June 8th. I sure do hope that you will be with us.

Pastor P

Priceless - Money & Time

2008-05-19T12:52:00.007-04:00

Raising teenagers can be expensive and time consuming, but you don't have to face the challenges alone. At PowerLine Youth Ministries we love working alongside parents to help raise their children into the productive and unique individuals God created them to be.
Jeremiah 29:11
PB

Marriage Advice

2008-05-16T11:05:00.003-04:00

Here is a little something to get you ready for the Marriage Series being offered in June in the Adult Elective Sunday School Class. See ya June 22, 9am sharp!
Pastor P

June- the marriage month

2008-05-16T09:15:00.004-04:00

June is a time for weddings and this year it will also be a great time to examine the commitments that are made when we decide to become "one flesh". I am going to start a series in our Adult Elective Sunday School Class on June 22 for anyone who is hoping to get married, has been married, is still married- anyone!

This series is not for newlyweds alone. And I want you to know that the video portions are really fun and inspiring. You will love it!

Pastor P

Priceless-Missions Trip

2008-05-08T08:04:00.003-04:00

Another entry in PowerLine's Priceless commercial collection.
Thanks to Tim, Kaci, Amy and all the actors.
Enjoy
PB

Who are your Heroes?

2008-05-05T10:04:00.003-04:00

We just started a series in PowerLine on Heroes. I was happy to hear that many of our teens look up to people like: Parents, grandparents, teachers and coaches. In the world we live in quality role models can be hard to find. We may admire someones skills, abilities or accomplishments, but that does not make them worthy to be called a hero. In the video below, you will see what makes a true Hero.
PB

Priceless-Convention

2008-04-25T11:18:00.003-04:00

1st installment in our PowerLine Priceless Commercials

Spring is here

2008-04-11T08:47:00.005-04:00

Spring is finally here!!

It was a relatively mild winter as far as snow was concerned, but I love the Springtime.

Spring means several things in the Rivera house.
1. Youth Convention.
This year was a great year. We had our largest group ever, 63. That meant more hotel rooms (15), more transportation (a charter bus and a van) and more opportunities for God to touch lives and He did. In addition to that, our Youth Worship team qualified for Nationals in Fine Arts and Tim Steffel also qualified in the Graphic design and Digital Photo categories. I am extremely proud of all our FA entries. They have talent, but they also have a heart to minister and that is a powerful combination.

2. Baseball Season
My boys love baseball (so does dad). There's nothing like going outside with them and having a catch or hitting some balls on a warm, sunny day. Both boys are now in the majors at their little league and for the first time since T-ball, they are on the same team. For those of you who think that's not a big deal, it is. That means only one game schedule to worry about, one practice time to remember. and no more spending an entire Saturday at the field because their games are back to back. This is especially exciting, because Benjamin made the Middle School team at his school. He is one of only 2 sixth graders to make it. They won their first game 19-0. He started in left field, had 2 at bats (one walk and a single) one run scored and 2 RBI's. He is well on his way to playing for the NY Yankees and settling any ?'s about my retirement fund. Joshua is a little younger with less experience, but he has a cannon for an arm and the fact that he is a southpaw will also make him a desirable addition to the Yanks some day.

3.Getting outside
We love the outdoors. Alexa has been out picking any little flower or bloom she can find, Kristi has pulled her swing out of storage and loves to take the little ones in the yard for some sun and fresh air. I enjoy grilling and it more fun to do it now than in January (Yes, I grill stuff all year long). The extra nice thing this year is that we have a fenced in yard, for the first time since we moved in, to keep the kids corralled. It was hard work getting it up last fall, but with the help of my brother-in-law, my dad and the boys, we got it done.

Well I gotta go for now, it's supposed to be a nice day and I don't want to miss any more of it sitting at a computer

PB

The "Energizer" Kidz Church Service

2008-04-08T13:46:00.003-04:00

What a day we had on Sunday, April 6, 2008!

It was the day we celebrated Children's Ministries Day at Praise Assembly and I, Ms. Lucie, had the privilege of ministering to 406 kids of all ages and sizes!

We started with some High Voltage (high energy) worship music that ushered in the presence of God in a mighty way, and proceeded to learn a special Power Verse that promises to help us remember to stay in the Word of God (Romans 12:2).

We then learned about the importance of "renewing our minds" daily. One of the members of our ministry team had brain surgery, right in front of everyone, and all his bad thoughts were removed from his brain when it was washed in the pure waters of the Living Word of God. When his brain was replaced, and secured in his head, he awoke a refreshed Child of God, and was full of energy to live gloriously, faithfully, and obediently for Jesus.

What a blessing to be able to minister in such a dynamic and powerful way to the children of this great church. The Bunny above was part of Pastor's gift to me after the service ended. He told me that I was so "high energy," I reminded him of the Energizer Bunny. I thank God for His provision of energy and pray that I can faithfully "keep going" for a very long time!

Called by Him to serve you, Ms. Lucie

Youth Transition Network

2008-03-21T10:12:00.003-04:00

If you are YOUNG or feel young, High School, College, whatever- you absolutely need to check out this site. Go to LiveAbove.com
Here is the actual link
http://www.liveabove.com/Default.aspx

Pastor P

Missions Convention 2008

2008-03-07T07:10:00.002-05:00

Well... check this out!

This weekend is our annual Missions Convention and our new interactive missions display is fully operational. You really need to see what this thing can do. It contains a complete directory of Assemblies of God missionaries, a special entry of those that we support, volumes of information about them, the countries where they serve, and lots of video. And everything is accessible by touch screen.

Pastor P

How about a little funny?

2008-02-25T09:53:00.002-05:00

Pastor P

Bangladesh

2008-02-20T15:56:00.007-05:00

I thought I had better post some news about my recent trip to Bollovpur, Bangladesh. This was my second trip in two years preaching and teaching at Divisional Council. Overall it was a great trip. I was with some of the same pastors and in the same general region, southwest Bangladesh, but closer to the border of India. It was about an 8 hour drive from the capital of Dhaka including a ferry boat ride across the Ganges River.

Great things are taking place in this geographically dwarfed country with so many people (150 million- half that of the United Sates in an area the size of the state of Arkansas. A new church is started once every 3 weeks. There are now more than 400 churches. Attendance was approximately 1,000 each night and about 100 came forward for salvation on the second night that I preached. The people of Bangladesh are very hard working and the pastors are no exception. The leadership is also very humble and understand the concept of servanthood. It is evident that God is working in this nation and it looks as though the kingdom of God will continue to expand rapidly. Please keep Bangladesh in your prayers.

Pastor P

Ms. Lucie is Back from Winter Break

2008-02-12T10:06:00.002-05:00

Hi Everyone,

I made it back from our trip to San Juan, St. Maarten, and St. Thomas aboard the Royal Caribbean Mariner. It was a fun time. I was an exciting time. There were 30 of us from this church. But we were overshadowed by another group boasting 145 members. There's an idea for our Joy Group!!

Anyway, I just wanted to check in and let you all see our beautiful smiling faces, from one of our formal nights. Though most of us were smiling on the outside, we all knew we would be coming home soon and it was hard to leave this life behind. We will carry our memories for a long time. I looking forward to the scrapbook parties that ladies and girls will be having in the coming weeks to document our trip!

For today, it is back to a busy slate of events and activities back here. I'm ready for action!

Ms. Lucie

Super Bowl and Super Church

2008-02-08T14:29:00.001-05:00

Congrats to all the Giants Fans. I am a Cowboys fan, but I had to root for the Giants, because I couldn't stand for another New England team to win a championship. Pastor is hard enough to live with when the Red Sox win, plus it is amazing the number of "Patriots and Red Sox fans" we suddenly have in the youth group these days. Dare I use the term front-runners.

Anyway, at the end of the Super Bowl they asked Eli Manning the now infamous question, "Where are you going?" and his reply "Disneyland or Disneyworld" I forget which it is.

This week I had a chance to do a little traveling as well. I didn't win the Super Bowl, but because of all the hard work and support of the teens and folks of Praise Assembly, I was invited to Branson, MO. Why did I go there? To receive an award from the National Youth Dept. of the Assemblies of God for Speed the Light.

In 2007 Praise Assembly raised over $53,000 for Speed the Light. That put us in the #9 spot in the nation. It was indeed an honor to represent all of you there.

Kristi and I had a whirlwind of a trip and Sarah is well on her way to being a world traveler. If everyone had kids that traveled as well as she did, they wouldn't hesitate to take more trips. We stayed at the Chateau on the Lake and had a chance to eat at Lamberts -Home of Throwed Rolls.

There are some exciting things happening around the world for the Kingdom and I am glad that we are on the front lines as a church and youth ministry.

However, this is no time to rest on out laurels. There are still missionaries and lost people who need our help.

With that in mind we are kicking off our Top it Off Campaign. We are asking everyone to give and offering equal to the cost of one tank of gas for each vehicle the drive. (It can be marked STL-Top it Off and dropped in any offering.) As an added bonus, each dollar given between now and March 31st will have and additional $1.50 added on, thanks to the generosity of Praise Assembly and a grant provided to Penn-Del Youth ministries.

Let's jump on board and make a difference more lasting than any Super Bowl victory.

PB

Logan, the Sky Angel Cowboy

2008-01-28T07:32:00.001-05:00

Welcome Home

2008-01-24T10:15:00.000-05:00

If I would of known that writing a blog entry and picking up some last minute baby stuff was all I needed to do for Kristi to go into labor, then I would have done it a week ago.

Anyway, if you haven't heard, Kristi had the baby this past Sunday morning.

Sarah Michelle Rivera was born on January 20, 2008 at 6:15am.

We spent the entire night in the hospital wondering if she was going to make her appearance or if we would be sent home to wait some more. Kristi started having strong regular contractions at 8PM and by 11 PM was ready to head to the hospital. Thank God for great people who say they want to help and then do when called upon. Thanks again Robert and Jean for coming over to stay with the kids and Amy for being a great and helpful aunt.

My parents were in NY and Kristi's were in NJ were her sister had given birth to twin girls only a few hours earlier. That's right, 3 girls added to the family in 17 hours!!

They finally decided to perform the c-section at 4:30 or so. I can't remember exactly, sleep deprivation does that to a person.

She weighed 7lbs 5oz and was 20 inches long. That puts her smack dab in the middle of the other kids. Smaller than the boys, but bigger than her sisters. She had a full head of hair, unlike the other who resembled dad as a baby, bald as can be.

We are all excited to have her and Elena can't get enough of saying "Baby" and kissing her.

As with any new baby the next few weeks will be an adjustment for all. Keep Kristi in your prayers as she heals from her surgery.

PB

New Math

2008-01-18T10:28:00.000-05:00

When is two weeks longer than 8 months?

When it is the final two weeks of a pregnancy. Kristi is scheduled to deliver on January 30th, but that day seems like it will never get here.

We are all excited in the Rivera household about our new addition. No, we don't know what it is, I love the surprise. Besides, it keeps the kids happier because the boys want a brother and the girls want a sister and this cuts down on the sad faces around the house. Once the baby comes, everyone loves it regardless.

God has been so faithful that we can only say WOW. We always knew we wanted a bunch of kids, and a few years ago we thought we were on our way. We had 2 boys and a girl and Kristi was expecting. She lost that baby (a boy) and almost lost her life as well. The doctors said she was "lucky" to be alive and would not be able to have kids again. About a year later she did get pregnant again and we lost another little boy. We were excited about the pregnancy, but grieved the lost. Still we knew God was in control!

Fast Forward to 2008. Since those loses, we have had another beautiful little girl. Doctors and nurses are amazed when they read Kristi's records and hear her story. They can't believe she is still alive, let alone able to have more children. I can, because I know Who is directing our steps.

Kristi has a favorite TV show called John & Kate Plus 8. It is about a family with set of twins and a set of sextuplets(6) I think that's right. Anyway the catch phrase in the show is. Our life may be crazy sometimes, but it's our life and we wouldn't have it any other way (something like that)
That's exactly how we feel. Our children bring some craziness and stress, but nothing compared to the love, joy, and excitement we have every day because of them.

Anyway, Kristi has been having serious contractions since Saturday. Nothing consistent enough for a late night trip to the hospital, but strong enough to make life uncomfortable.

Keep her in your prayers and we'll keep you up to date.

God Bless
Pastor Ben

Global Warming is not all that bad

2008-01-12T18:32:00.000-05:00

Global warming is not all that bad!

Really!? What a delightful week we have had. In the 60s all week long and even today with the bright sun the 50 degree weather felt great. I have never had any need for January or February anyway. And I have never wanted to move to Florida either-even if this is what their winter months are like.

So I feel as though we all got blessed BIG time this week- unless of course you are a ski-bum. Sorry for all of you.

Enjoy the blessing while it lasts-

Pastor P

Red Light Green Light

2008-01-08T08:30:00.000-05:00

Today is the 8th day of the new year. I am happy to report that as of 7:11 this morning, I had only witnessed TWO "red-light-runners" in my immediate proximity on the roads of busy Newark. That changed abruptly at 7:15 am, when I was sitting at a red light at the corner of Elkton Road and Otts Chapel Road, waiting to turn left. Not one, but TWO cars ran their red lights in the opposite direction to me. It didn't affect me directly, as I was safely waiting for my light to turn green before proceeding with my turn, but it was disconcerting nonetheless.

Why is this something I even bring up?

Because as this year unfolds, and my daughter begins taking driving lessons in a few months, I am appalled by what she will be confronted with on our roads. Last year, I counted almost one "red-light-runner" EVERY SINGLE day! And again, that's just in my immediate proximity. I doubt that there are only 365 re-light-runners in all of Newark, and that this only happens when I'm stopped at my red lights!

So, as the year unfolds, I will be praying even more than ever. For "peace" in people's hearts and for a spirit of self-control, so that we can all be a little safer when we venture out!

Now this isn't all I'll be praying for, but it was on my mind this morning, and now it is here for all to see.

Oh, and hey, I challenge you all to start your own "Red-Light-Runners Log." Maybe we can do something more constructive with this information, than just gripe about it in a blog! What do you think?

Ms. Lucie

A New Year

2008-01-03T06:49:00.000-05:00

Well...

It is over, 2007 I mean, and the Christmas holiday. And I got everything I could have wanted but one thing-"peace on earth". To be more accurate, I have peace but much of the world still does not have it. Whenever I contemplate Christmas I always think of it containing the promise of peace on earth. The angels promised it to the shepherds as they announced the birth of the Christ child.
LK 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Reading it more carefully I can see that the peace to be received is qualified. It is not a general presentation but rather a very personal one. What I mean is that peace can be obtained/received by anyone willing to receive Christ as their Savior. It is the only way to have peace. Also keep in mind that as we get closer to Jesus' second coming there will many who will proclaim peace for the entire world, but their offers are in vain. There is no general distribution of peace because it has to exist within us individually and the only way for this to happen is by believing the Jesus Christ is the Messiah and inviting Him into our lives.

Want real peace? Then get to know Jesus Christ.

Pastor P

Christmas Characters

2007-12-24T10:31:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas

from

Mary, Joseph, three shepherds, an angel and the rest of Kidz Church.

May the Lord richly bless your homes this season and in the coming year, and may you grow in the knowledge of Him.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-24T06:45:00.000-05:00

Storefront display- NYC

The day is finally upon us!

All the scurrying around will soon cease and people will settle down and enjoy the holiday, hopefully by enjoying one another exchanging gifts, around a meal, looking at decorations, and attending a church service.

We want to wish you all the merriest of Christmases

Pastor P, Pastor Ben, & Lucie

If I Were To Do A Message on Cleanlinesss . . . .

2007-12-18T11:20:00.001-05:00

. . . . it might start with a good story like this one:

Can Cold Water Clean Dishes?

John went to visit his 90 year old grandfather in a very secluded, rural area of Arkansas.

After spending a great evening chatting the night away, John's grandfather prepared breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast. However, John noticed a film-like substance on his plate, and questioned his grandfather asking, "Are these plates clean?"

His grandfather replied, "They're as clean as cold water can get them. Just you go ahead and finish your meal, Sonny!"

For lunch the old man made hamburgers.

Again, John was concerned about the plates, as his appeared to have tiny specks around the edge that looked like dried egg and asked, "Are you sure these plates are clean?"

Without looking up the old man said, "I told you before, Sonny, those dishes are as clean as cold water can get them. Now don't you fret, I don't want to hear another word about it!"

Later that afternoon, John was on his way to a nearby town and as he was leaving, his grandfather's dog started to growl, and wouldn't let him pass. John yelled and said, "Grandfather, your dog won't let me get to my car".

Without diverting his attention from the football game he was watching on TV, the old man shouted, "COLDWATER, GO LAY DOWN!!!!"

Meet Coldwater!

Merry Christmas,
Ms. Lucie

Christmas Festivities

2007-12-17T08:26:00.000-05:00

It is almost Dec. 25th, and with this joyous holiday comes the annual tradition of parties in Missionettes and Rangers on the Wednesday before Christmas. The girls have been busy shopping in the Missionettes Store over the past month, and will this week enjoy a time of games, activities and crafts, and food. The boys will shop this week at the Ranger cabin while also enjoying a time of shopping and fellowship. Neither the Rangers nor the Missionettes will meet on Wednesday, Dec. 26.

Merry Christmas to all!

Speed the Light and continued success

2007-12-14T17:07:00.000-05:00

I love this photo- it makes me think of the old game show, "Let's Make A Deal". And to think that they chose Drew Carey over our own Pastor Ben for "The Price is Right". He would have been so good...

Oh well, their loss is our gain, our continued success and blessing. Once again, Pastor Ben has led the Powerline youth to a great year of ministry and raising funds to provide vehicles for our missionaries around the world.

A final report will be given sometime soon-but for now I can tell you that they raised almost $28,000 this year. Congrats to everyone and a very Merry Christmas to our missionaries.

Pastor P

Mystery Man

2007-12-10T12:35:00.001-05:00

Okay, okay, okay. Maybe I don't blog enough, but I'm doing it now. I've been searching for the perfect photo to go along with my entries, and it's taken me a long time. But now, I have one!!!!

Yes sir, you can't get prettier than that!!!

And now for the story behind the picture: we've just begun a great new series in Kidz Church, where the children will explore various ways that biblical characters worshipped Jesus during that very first Christmas. We will be taking a make-believe journey to Mexico during Christmas time, and will learn not only about how they celebrate Christ's birth there, but how we can worship Him here in our own little town of Newark! That fellow photographed above is Mr. Ken Fuchs, acting as Bobby Blunder, a man also journeying to Mexico as part of a short-term missions team, and who is doing everything possible to avoid being part of the group! This week, he told us that he couldn't stand the music the missions team selected, so he decided NOT to join the group during worship time. He ended up taking a very wrong turn on his quest for Acapulco, and we learned that it IS good to worship God in ALL we SAY AND DO!!

The very best thing about this Sunday happened at the very beginning, BEFORE we had even gotten into the new unit. Ms. Faith and I prepared a series of excellent worship songs to set the tone of honoring God with our whole body, mind and soul. There was A LOT of motion in those songs, and they were so catchy and fun that all the kids had smiles on their faces by the time they went back to their seats for the offering prayer. Usually we do 3 or 4 fun songs, and then one or two slower, more sedentary ones during the offering. Also usually, during those slower songs, the kids get kind of distracted with the ushers going up and down the aisles, taking the offering, and they tend to get a little chatty with one another. Ms. Faith and I have to often remind the kids that the offering songs are an excellent opportunity to really focus on God and praise Him for the many wonderful things He has done for us and because He loves us so much. Most kids heed this advice. But there are ALWAYS those who do not.

This week, as Ms. Faith, the Kidz Choir and I stood at the front of the room, with our eyes closed and hands held high, totally immersed in the spirit of true worship, ALL the kids in the room did also!!!!!! Let me restate this, because this is HUGE: ALL the kids were totally tuned into worship! It sounded like an angelic choir and God's spirit was actually felt in that room! At the end of that song (Here I Am To Worship, 4 minutes and 5 seconds) the kids started yelling out: "PLAY IT AGAIN, PLAY IT AGAIN!"

I couldn't believe my ears. Our kids were HUNGRY for MORE worship and they hadn't even heard the message on "worshipping God" yet!

This is what we have been praying for in this room--for the Spirit of God to take over completely in the lives of these kids, for a mighty move of His Spirit to flow in us and through us, and for His presence to shine through us to those around us, so that they too might grow in a deep and meaningful relationship with Him.

It happened yesterday!! And I am totally excited about today and tomorrow!!!
All glory and praise be to HIM!!!

Ms. Lucie has the bestest job in the whole world!!!

Onesimus 3? or 2?

2007-12-06T16:35:00.000-05:00

Hey there

Just a quick note- for some reason Lucie Hale has not put any posts to this blog in a long time. She is the third person in Onesimus3. Do us a favor and email her at lucieshines333@comcast.net and URGE her to post something of interest. Her life is so full of good things- I know there is something that she can share. PLEASE EMAIL her today! She probably just needs to know that you care and that you are interested. Without her we are just Onesimus2.

By the way- this is supposed to be a drawing of Paul and the run away slave Onesimus.

Pastor P

It's Christmas time in the City

2007-12-03T10:29:00.001-05:00

Recognize the guys in the picture?

One is our own Chuck Parsons and the other is Ruppert G. owner of the Hello Deli and frequent contributor to the David Letterman Show.

This was just one of the sights and stories we have from our trip to NYC this past weekend. 29 of us went and we had a great time.

From feeding the flying rats (also known as pigeons) near Ground Zero to hangin out at Times Square and not buying $3 pretzels or $4 sodas to
touring St Patrick's Cathedral and seeing "The Tree" at Rockefeller Center, it was another chance to make memories and expand horizons for many of our teens.

I love New York and that's not just repeating the famous ad campaign. It's where I grew up, it's where most of my family lives and it's a great place to eat a dozen or so White Castle Burgers, some Chicken rings, egg rolls and some fish nibblers (if you so desire, we didn't).

I love Delaware too. It's where God has called me to work alongside some incredible people to impact our world with the Love of Christ. Unlike Ruppert, most of them may never be famous or pseudo-famous, but they are the ones who make PowerLine Youth Ministries tick and without whom we could not accomplish all that we do.

So thanks to all the Youth Leaders, parents and students who give of their time, talents and so much more.

PB

TIME

2007-12-01T08:01:00.001-05:00

Time: The one thing that we cannot buy at the mall or the department store or even online. There is simply no way to get more. And people are feeling the crunch right now with Christmas and New Years quickly approaching. We could all use a little extra time.

Time is God's provision to us, we are to use it wisely. And here is what He has to say about our use of it.

EPHESIANS 5:15 Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, (redeeming the time) because the days are evil.

And God has plans for our time...
PSALM 139:16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

And here is more great advice-
Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So...I suppose we should not worry about time, how much we have or how quickly it is passing, especially when we know Christ as our Savior. We should remember that the day that we first received Christ and accepted Him as as our Savior was the first day of our New Life which is also the day that we began living Eternal Life. So even when we leave this world of clocks and calendars we still live-but in eternity without the restraints and confines of time.

Try to enjoy the next 31 days before we begin a whole new year of opportunities.

Blessings, Pastor P

Holy Spirit and Paintball

2007-11-19T12:27:00.000-05:00

What a great weekend we had at PowerLine.

Friday night we had 110 at our youth service, with 20 first time visitors.

Saturday we had 40 get together to play paintball. Only 27 actually played, but that is a whole other story. Those that eventually played, had a great time and only a few went home with welts or bruises.

Back to Friday.

We have had an emphasis on the Holy Spirit this month and Friday night we taught on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and Speaking in tongues. We had a full altar as dozens of students responded to receive more power. Several were filled with the HS and spoke in tongues and other commented that they had never felt God so close and real as they did that night.

I can't emphasize enough the importance of challenging our students to grow in their relationship with God. They are hungry and ready for more and with God's help we will work to disciple and encourage them.

In between, we will have fun and also look for opportunities to let Christ Shine through us in every venue.

Gotta go for now. We are having a "Drive-in" movie in my backyard later this week and I need to do some prep for that.

PB

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-19T08:55:00.000-05:00

Real Pilgrims at Plimouth Plantation in Massachusetts.

This Thanksgiving let us remember to give thanks for our religious freedom. This was the force that drove these early pioneers to the "new world".

Pastor

Life Is Strange

2007-11-17T20:16:00.000-05:00

Well, reflecting over the past month I must say that life is truly strange. One moment I am traveling 7,500 miles (by way of the latest technology) to Africa and ministering (without technology) in a world that is seemingly much more simple than here in the USA. Life in rural Kenya was very basic and uncomplicated. Drinking hot tea that was steeped in water from the most recent rainstorm, eating very simple meals that were prepared over wood fires and cooked out of doors.

Then at the end of a week of ministry to be thrown into the lap of luxury, treated like English colonizers during the turn of the century (early 1900s), gazing at wild animals doing what they do over a forever changing vista on the open savannah of the Masai Mara.

And then to do a "white knuckle" drive to New England to visit and assist aging parents in their last days. And taking the role of guardian and parent of my parents. Total role reversal, after 50 years!

It almost seems like a time machine (note drawing of HG Wells' time machine above) had transported me within three very different venues in only about 3 weeks time. I am not sure of the word, but maybe it is surreal or sublime or maybe strange is as good a choice as any.

Pastor

Safari Photos

2007-11-10T15:30:00.000-05:00

Here we are at the "Terminal" at the landing strip at Masai Mara greeted with fresh fruit drinks and even hot coffee
We had our own Land Rover and Driver for the three days

Sunrise from our bed, looking right out to the savannah, when the sun rose higher it revealed zebra and giraffe and wildebeast

Masai tribesmen patrolled the camp perimeter

A group of young male lions napping in the mid morning sun

Hippos lined up like cruise ships

The Crocs were huge

Pumba and her babies

As you can see, we were able to get pretty close to all animals

Magnificent sunset

Out of Africa

2007-11-08T16:38:00.001-05:00

Our first dinner meal was in Nakuru at an Ethiopian restaurant- excellent food eaten with your hands.

The next two days were non-stop with a conference in Nakuru for pastors on the topic of Discipleship and Cathy presented healthcare issues to the pastor's wives.

Saturday was a day off watching these two Rhinos square off with one another at Lake Nakuru National Park.

The pink along the shoreline are hundreds of thousands of flamingo

Sunday morning I preached in the Assemblies of God church in Nakuru with Pastor Wallace who serves as the District Superintendent

The last three days of our Africa trip were spent in the Masai Mara at Kichwa Tembo
Here is the view from our dining table

We had luxury tented accomodations

We saw the Big 5, including these elephants crossing the Mara River

More photos in days to come...

Look what I came home to

2007-11-05T11:16:00.000-05:00

After arriving home from Africa following a 2 week trip this is what I found in my office. I found a wall full of post-its expressing appreciation and then a desk covered with even more post-its. I never know what will happen to my office whenever I leave town.

Also, while I was gone, the Red Sox won another World Series! And to think that I had an almost complete news black out while I was in Kenya.

Here is a photo of our accomodations while on Safari the last three days of our stay. I will post more photos later. Pastor P

Dentist Appointments and Meeting the President

2007-11-02T09:17:00.001-04:00

Who would think that getting to see a dentist would be more involved and harder (it has to be) than meeting the President?

Today ended an odyssey of phone calls, faxes, emails and general frustration to use our Dental insurance to see the dentist. We have had dental for a couple of months now and have had to reschedule appointments a couple of times before success was achieved. The Insurance carrier sends out a roster every month to the office with the names of clients listed, well we were not on "the List". So we were told that we would have to cancel our appointments and reschedule for December when we were on "the List". Problem is that the appointment was for BJ and he needs to go so he can get x-rays taken that can then be used to start him on his journey down the braces trail.

Long story short, we went up the customer service ladder and finally got approved to go, even though we are still not on "the List" we will be added and all is well. So after all the fiasco, BJ now has a dentist appointment Monday at noon and an orthodontist appointment at 2pm. What a fun way to spend an afternoon.

So after our success dealing with that seemingly impossible situation, I am going to start making phone calls to set up a dinner with the President. That should be easier after dealing with an Insurance company.
PB

They Did It!

2007-10-22T06:50:00.001-04:00

Just like the last time that they won the World Series against the Yankees, the Sox have come back from a 3-1 deficit and beat the Indians. For me, it could have ended with either team winning, I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the Cleveland Indians, or any underdog, or anyone 'cept the Yankees.

Pastor P

Imagine This!

2007-10-18T15:16:00.000-04:00

Here is the photo that Pastor Ben wanted you to imagine- the best Quarterback in the NFL- Tom Brady and the UNdefeatable New England Patriots.

Pastor P

Talking Trash and other Discipleship Tools

2007-10-17T11:23:00.001-04:00

Pictures can be good on a blog, but sometimes the website won't cooperate and let you put one in. So please close your eyes and imagine a picture of a football player here then continue reading the rest of the post. PB

Sometimes we think of evangelism (telling others the Good News of forgiveness and salvation) and discipleship (helping them grow in their relationship and commitment to God) as overwhelming tasks that should be left up to "professionals". I learned something a long time ago and that is that though knowledge of God's word is vital, our relationships with people are also as important. If you want to be effective for the Kingdom, take time to make connections.

It can be as simple as sticking around after church to talk for a while or finding an area of common interest and spending time with someone.

One of the most enjoyable connectors for me, with several of our teens and leaders, has been our Fantasy Sports Leagues. We are in our second year of football and have also had leagues in baseball, basketball and hockey.

Every week there are a dozen of us who email, post comments, talk in person, text and spend time together. A group of guys brought together by football, but involved in each others lives and building relationships.

I know some of you are asking, "How can this make a difference?" It's just a computer game. That's the beauty of it, God can use anything to help us change our world and build up each other. See, it's not about the "what", it's about the "who" and every week I get the chance to interact with 11 of our guys and I love it.

I guess I should add that I am tied for first with a 5-1 record so that makes it more fun and a lot easier to talk trash. But even if I was in last I wouldn't trade the opportunities to connect with those guys for anything in the world.
PB

“Winners never quit and quitters never win.”

2007-10-10T11:06:00.000-04:00

That famous quote by legendary football coach Vince Lombardi was first introduced to me in high school and has often spurred me on. Today is one of those days.

I have had some things brought to my attention that could be depressing and frustrating, but I learned a long time ago that my eyes need to be on Christ and my faith is in His word.

Jesus was the ultimate winner and far from a quitter. That doesn't mean he didn't have challenging days. Even on the eve of fulfilling His reason for living (to Die on the Cross) he struggled and asked God the Father "...if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." Luke 22:42

He realized that He must press on and fulfill the mission of His life. I know my mission and nothing can stop me from serving God with all I have. There will be difficulties and disappointments, but I know God is true to His word.

Remember that as you live out your relationship with Jesus and serve in Ministry keep your eyes on Him and don't let the things of this world or the actions of people affect your service to the King.

I know I'm not!

PB

Euthanized, Vaporized, Memorialized

2007-10-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

Well, the Indians finally put the Yankees out of their misery. As I said in my last post, my favorite team is the Red Sox and any other team that will beat the Yankees- so now my two favorite teams will face off.

Now, of course I am only having fun at Pastor Ben's expense. He is so loyal to his yankees that he is probably holding a memorial service for them today while he is home on his day off. I, on the other hand, have no loyalties at all to people who are so grossly over paid for what they do and who only a few years ago shut down baseball because of their greed. Well- the crowds have returned and so has the money.

Speaking of money- this series proves, as we all should be reminded, that money does not solve all problems and it does not guarantee success. Check out the link that I have in this blog, it shows the Yankees payroll at almost double their nearest competitor. And then also look at the payrolls for the two National League teams in their competition, they are almost on the bottom. You just can't buy success! http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/salaries?team=nyy

Well... another week or two and I can start picking my favorite NFL team, right now- it looks like I am going to lean towards the Patriots or the Colts. Hey, they are both still undefeated.

One last thing- Pray for Pastor Ben, all that he has now are the Dallas Cowboys- Pastor P