"How God Grows You" Sunday's Message, November 29, 2015

 “How God Grows You”

God has a plan for your life! This purpose that God has for you is expressed in Romans 8:29, ESV, “For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.” God’s purpose is to make you like his Son. This purpose that God has planned for your life involves a life-long process we call “Discipleship.” There are a variety of ways that God uses to make you like Himself. This Sunday we will look at one those ways, how God grows you through the work of the Holy Spirit within you.

If you live in the bay area and don’t have a church home, we invite you to join us at Carrollwood Baptist Church this Sunday at 10:30 a.m. We are conveniently located at 5395 Ehrlich Road one mile east of the Veterans Expressway. CBC is a caring, family-oriented, and mission’s minded church where you can thrive in your relationship with Christ. Look forward to seeing you this Sunday at CBC for a life-changing encounter with the living Lord!

“For His Glory, By His Grace!”
Pastor Joe

"Bringing Christ to the Nations" (Psalm 96)

In the early church, the believers worshiped, they modeled their lives after Christ, they loved and served one another, and the logical outcome of all this was that “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). Bringing Christ to people was not so much a program that they “performed,” but a passion that compelled them.

 

This passion for the Lord and sharing Him lies at the heart of Psalm 96. We “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples” (Ps. 96:3). This Sunday, November 22th at Carrollwood Baptist Church at 10:30 a.m., we will discover the essential aspects about the hopeful message of Christ that we have the privilege to bring to our family, friends, and to “all peoples.” You can see the entire text of Psalm 96 below.  

If you live in the bay area and don’t have a church home, we invite you to join us. We are conveniently located at 5395 Ehrlich Road one mile east of the Veterans Expressway. Look forward to seeing you Sunday at CBC for a life-changing encounter with the living Lord!

“For His Glory, By His Grace!”

Pastor Joe

 

Psalm 96, NIV

¹ Sing to the Lord a new song;
    sing to the Lord, all the earth.
² Sing to the Lord, praise his name;
    proclaim his salvation day after day.
³ Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

⁴ For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
    he is to be feared above all gods.
⁵ For all the gods of the nations are idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.
⁶ Splendor and majesty are before him;
    strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

⁷ Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
⁸ Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    bring an offering and come into his courts.
⁹ Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;
    tremble before him, all the earth.
¹⁰ Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
    The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
    he will judge the peoples with equity.

¹¹ Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
    let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
¹² Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
    let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
¹³ Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes,
    he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
    and the peoples in his faithfulness.

 

 

 

"This Is Worship!" Sunday's Message at Carrollwood Baptist Church

What is your view of worship? Is worship just what happens in church on Sunday? Do you identify worship with an emotional experience, spiritual thoughts, or maybe performing certain rituals? The fact is, biblical worship is not defined by a place, a feeling, or a ritual. God set the standard for worship in His Word. The model for worship is found in the Bible and it is more rewarding than most of us have ever imagined. So to really answer the question, “What does it mean to truly worship God?,” the only place to turn is the Bible.

This Sunday, November 15th at Carrollwood Baptist Church at 10:30 a.m., we will explore what really matters in worship and how to worship in a way that is not only acceptable to God but that truly brings you into contact with the God who is near, who is personal, who alone satisfies, and who is the true joy-giver.

 If you live in the bay area and don’t have a church home, we invite you to join us. We are conveniently located at 5395 Ehrlich Road one mile east of the Veterans Expressway. Look forward to seeing you Sunday at CBC for a life-changing encounter with the living Lord!

“For His Glory, By His Grace!”
Pastor

Our Journey

I took the above picture of Caleb and Gracie Mae the night before his tragic passing. So many emotions have flooded our lives these past few weeks that it is hard to even put them into words. We have moved to a new state and ministry, become first-time grandparents, and have had to say goodbye to our youngest son, Caleb and all this in a week’s time! While this has obviously been a very difficult time, the outpouring of love that has been shown to us has been incredibly comforting. John said that when we love each other, we are reflecting the unseen but very real God. “No one has ever seen God; but if we love each other, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us” (1 Jn. 4:12). We have been loved on by so many people, and we’ve seen the face of God through this tragic time. Thank you for your prayers, calls, texts, visits, cards and letters and other generous expressions of love that you have shown to our family. We have read some of the most heartfelt and sweetest words this past week. We’ve smiled, we’ve cried, and we’ve thanked God for each you and the love you have demonstrated. All of you are amazing! Please continue to pray for us and especially Sierra and baby Gracie Mae. 

Joe and Rhonda 

"I thank my God every time I remember you." Philippians 1:3

This Is Church!

This past Sunday (November 8^th) was our first official day at Carrollwood Baptist Church. We once again sensed the warmth and love of the fellowship that we now call home. It was a day that we knew would be filled with many emotions, but we are so blessed to be serving here and look forward to some great days ahead. I mentioned to the congregation that we had come to serve them, but instead, they have been serving us. What a beautiful expression of The Body of Christ!

This past Sunday I began a new sermon series that I’m calling, “This Is Church!” I can think of no better way to start off a ministry than to explore who we are as followers of Christ and what the Lord is doing in and through His church, the Body of Christ. My text was Acts 2:36-41. You can listen to the sermon online at carrollwoodbaptist.org. You can also use the following questions to reflect on as a way to deepen your understanding and application of the text:

1. What was the central message that Peter preached that caused the people to come under conviction, to be “cut to the heart” (2:37; see, 2:14-ff.)? What is the connection between the Word of God and people having faith in Christ?

2. What response did Peter call for when the people asked, “What shall we do?” (2:37)?

3. What is the relationship between repentance and baptism (2:38)? What does baptism signify?

4. What occurs when people genuinely turn to God in Christ (2:38, 41)? What is the result of repentance?

5. What is the significance of Peter stating that “The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off” (2:39a; see, Matt. 27:25)?

6. How do people often respond to guilt, grief, and regrets? Why do people have such a difficult time believing that God’s grace is for them too? Is there something that is causing you to feel far away from God? Have you allowed God’s grace to impact your life, to heal your hurts, to wash away your guilt? 

For His Glory, By His Grace!

Pastor Joe

The Move!

It was a surreal experience packing up our belongings, leaving our daughter and home of Louisiana for the past 25 years, and entering a new time zone. At first it felt very strange being in Florida since it’s not the Christmas season, about the only time I’m ever in Florida. Rhonda says for sure I’ll now never make it to midnight on New Year’s Eve (lol). Only central time zone people understand this. Once we arrived in Florida, we were greeted by some folks from Carrollwood Baptist Church who helped us unpack our stuff. We’re grateful for all the help getting situated at CBC and in the Mission Home where we are currently living. Many have asked for our new address so here it is: 5407 Ehrlich Road, Tampa, Florida, 33625. Thanks for keeping in touch with us, it means so much.