According to the Pew Forum’s recent study of older adults and social media, social networking use among Internet users over the age 50 nearly doubled in one year, from 22% in April 2009 to 42% in May 2010. Here is how many adults online are using social media:

For more information on the Pew Report, visit PewInternet.org/Reports/2010/Older-Adults-and-Socail-Media.aspx

Check it out…https://northsidebc.onthecity.org/login

You will need to click on the “set up account” at the bottom of screen…fill in your email address…then you will receive an invitation via email.

North Side is using The City to take advantage of technology in order to engage in ministry.

Well, last night, after suffering through most of game 1 of the World series (yes, I am a Yankees fan)…I deleted about 600 emails, one by one. Then I decided that this was crazy! I was saving stuff hat I would never ever use again. The migration included my contacts and and my calendar…which are really important to me…more so than the old emails. So, I did the only logical thing that any normal 58 year old man in my situation would do…I deleted all of the remaining migration files. Yes, I wiped the slate clean. I am starting over. I realized that the baggage of my past was holding me back from moving forward! So, now I am looking forward. I have made myself a resolution to keep my inbox clean, not save old emails and use the archive system provided in Gmail. I am not looking back. I am going forward.

A great spiritual application…how many times in our lives do we dwell in the past? We beat ourselves up by drudging up our past behavior. God is not interested in the past. If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, He has forgiven us of our sins. He is more interested what we will do from this day forward. If you haven’t accepted Christ as your personal Saviour, now is the time. God knows that we are sinners and cannot live without sin…that is why He sent His Son to die for us.  He wants us to repent and turn away from sin, not dwell on it. Although, we must understand that there are consequences of our past sin. We cannot escape those. He wants us to move forward through His leadership…that requires the surrender of our past and the surrender of our present lives to Him. Join me…wipe the slate clean and move forward.

Last night a group of leaders met at North Side and discussed what we have been studying about Biblical Eldership. The attribute that we studied was humility…sounds pretty contrary to the popular opinion that is out there today. Popular opinion has it that as a leader, we should have all the answers. Not so…in the church, Christ is the true leader…we are stewards of His church and are allowed to lead the church as the Holy Spirit leads us.  The church belongs to Christ, not us. It is not about our leadership as much as it is about our “followship”. In order to follow Christ and His leadership, we must truly humble ourselves before Him.  There is clear Biblical instruction for church leaders, that elders are to be humble servants. We are to lead with humility demonstrating the example to our congregation that Christ set for us during his life here on earth. Here are Peter’s instructions to the elders in the early churches…

You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,  casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:5-7 (NASB)

We lead others by influence…and our influence is clearly spoken through our actions more so than our words. Therefore, humble yourselves…

Hear my cry, O God;
Give heed to my prayer. From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a refuge for me,
A tower of strength against the enemy. Let me dwell in Your tent forever;
Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah.
For You have heard my vows, O God;
You have given me the inheritance of those who fear Your name. You will prolong the king’s life;
His years will be as many generations. He will abide before God forever;
Appoint lovingkindness and truth that they may preserve him. So I will sing praise to Your name forever,
That I may pay my vows day by dayPsalms 61:1-8 (NASB)

The Lord is our Refuge, our Rock, our Provider, our Healer, our Salvation…our Saviour. Praise Him!

Safe Ministry Boundaries

The following boundaries have been established for the Pastoral staff of North Side Baptist Church when ministering to members of the opposite sex. The purpose of these boundaries is to allow the pastoral staff in effective ministry while protecting the integrity and reputation of ourselves, North Side Baptist Church, and the person that we are ministering to.

• Limit number of counseling sessions to 3 times, after which the person needing additional counseling should be referred to a professional Christian counselor.

• Avoid going out for a meal with an individual of the opposite sex, unless another staff member or spouse is present.

• Avoid ministering after office hours with an individual of the opposite sex, unless another staff member or spouse is present.

• Avoid ministering off campus, with an individual of the opposite sex, unless another staff member or spouse is present.

• Avoid travel with an individual of the opposite sex, unless another staff member or spouse is present.

• Avoid verbal or nonverbal sexual behavior.

• Avoid intimate communication, i.e. phone, letters, email, text messages, etc. with an individual of the opposite sex.

• Avoid developing inappropriate, intimate relationships with an individual of the opposite sex.

Celebrate Recovery is a Christ centered recovery program that can help you. Check out http://www.celebraterecovery.com.au/

Today, they shared with me the highlights of Celebrate Recovery’s Memorial Day Bash at Lake Greenwood. Over 250 people came to gather together in prayer, supporting one another and hearing Michael bring the gospel message. That day over 30 people were baptized in Lake Greenwood. Here is a  picture of those baptized.

Celebrate Recovery meets at the North SIde Baptist Church in the Rock. Meetings are held at 7:00PM on Friday evenings.