Hello Folks,
     We had a really good week-end here at Greeneville First Church of God.  On Saturday about 60 of the folks from our congregation met here and were sent out to a total of 3 Greene County Elementary Schools.  Over the next 2-3 hours our people cleaned rooms, painted stripes on walls, organized books, and anything else that the individual school or teacher wanted us to do.  Then we met back at the church, inviting the teachers to come with us, and had hotdogs, chips and cookies.  There were about 20 teachers and one principal that attended and ate with us.  We called that a Community School Blitz.  We already have had some of the teachers ask us to come back next year.  It was a great time of service to our community and fellowship with one another.  Hopefully, above everything else, we were able to exemplify Jesus Christ to those we came into contact with.  I am so thankful for those who came and helped.  If we are going to impact our community we must get into our community and that is what we are attempting to do.
     When I looked at the people who were there working we had folks from 8 years of age to 75 years of age who came out to help.  I must say that there is no better way for the elders of a congregation to reveal a Christian life to the younger people than to be with them and live the life in front of them.  I am thankful that I am the pastor of this congregation and that God has allowed me to be part of it for almost 13 years now.  I pray that we can continue to find ways to reach out to our town and county with the wonderful message of Jesus being lived out in front of them.  Some of those people will never hear me preach but they can see people living Jesus around them.  What a joy it is to be part of that!
    
Have a great day,


HGRudd

Hello Folks,
     Just got back to my office after preaching a Camp Meeting in Liberty, Ky.  It was a real joy for me to be there for a number of reasons among which was the opportunity to preach the gospel.  There is nothing like the joy there is in preaching God's Word to people and seeing response.  But then I cam back this past Sunday and we had God move in our a.m. worship.  What a blessing it was to see men and women moving to the altars in response to what God was doing!  I happen to believe that if we were to be open to God to take control of what we are planning and doing that we would see an amazing change in congregations and individual people.  I certainly want God to continue to change me as I need Him to make me more of what He desires.
     While I was in Kentucky I found out that one of my cousins lives fairly close to Liberty and I was able to go to her house and have dinner with her.  She also had contacted her 3 sisters who I had not seen in quite a while and we had a mini-reunion with them.  My heart was filled with joy as we talked about the past the wonders of being able to have our lives intertwined together.  God gave me a special blessing by being able to be with them.  Could this have been a taste of what heaven will be like when we get to see all of those who have impacted our lives and to know that it will not stop but continue throughout eternity? 
     Yet it is also true that we have been given this day where we will have opportunity to impact the lives of others.  We will make a decision whether we will give them Jesus or if we will merely give them a taste of us.  Pray for me that I will be able to give Jesus to others.


Have a great day,


HGRudd

Hello Folks,
     Here in Greeneville, Tn we will celebrate Independence Day on July 4.  This has been a special day for Americans since 1775 and in our community we will have people join family members in cook outs and there will be untold fireworks shot into the air, there will be parades and special events taking place all across our community and our nation.  I for one am thankful for our nation and the freedoms that we celebrate here. 
     In other nations there is great persecution taking place while we celebrate.  In the Sudan Christians are being murdered simply because they are Christians.  Freedom for Christians in many Muslim countries is very limited and they are subject to great persecution.  I pray that we do not take for granted what we have been given but I also pray that we do not forget about people all over our world who have little if any freedom.  Maybe during our celebrations we should pray for others who have not been blessed to live in a country like ours.  While we have many things that could be better we are certainly among the most blessed people in the world.
     But there is one other thing that we ought not to forget.  It is simply that we have been given spiritual freedom through the blood of Jesus Christ.  On that day almost 2000 years ago when Jesus died on Calvary there was a declaration of independence signed in blood by the Creator of the world.  It is not restricted by national boundaries or political parties.  Anyone who will come to Him can receive that freedom.  That is the one truth that we ought to celebrate every day!
     I pray that you have a great week and that the freedom of Christ be in your.


HGRudd

Hello Folks,
     Yesterday the International Convention for the Church of God Reformation Movement started in Oklahoma City.  The change of locations has been much discussed and I guess we will see if it has helped improve attendance.  It is my prayer that many will be able to attend and that God's will be done in all that takes place.  While I will not be in attendance that does not mean that I am not wanting to see the best take place for the church!  Much of what happens will be what we would consider the normal.  The GA will meet, resolutions will be discussed and voted on, budget issues will be brought to the floor, information will be shared, worship will take be celebrated and I pray that God will speak in all of it.  My heart desires to see real godly change take place and that the Holy Spirit will be very present in all that transpires. 
     While I do not know if this attempted change will be the beginning of the marvelous work of God among us I pray that will be the case.  From what I have read in the early days of the Church of God Reformation Movement God's people prayed.  They prayed for real change to encompass the congregations that had become accepting of falsehoods that only succeeded in holding people in bondage.  They wanted His truth to prevail among all people and they felt that they were called by God to proclaim that truth and to practice that truth!  I wonder if we ought not to pray that we would have the same Spirit to place such a fire in our hearts?  I am not sure how everyone else feels about this but I for one am unhappy with merely waiting on Jesus to return.  I want to "occupy" until He comes again and ends this old world. 
     I ask you to pray for the International Convention that will go through Thursday of this week.  May the glory of God fall on that group and on us!


Have a great day,


HGRudd

Hello Folks,
     We had a team of 16 people go to Haiti and when they returned they brought with them a virus that is transmitted through mosquito's.  It had some very undesirable symptoms and while it was not life threatening it was not very enjoyable.  Of the 16 who went 13 of them came down with it.  We had the Health Department checking on them and drawing blood from them as well as giving certain directions to them as well.  Yet the ministry went on in Haiti and here!  God used them to help the people of Haiti in their physical needs but also where their spiritual needs were concerned.  I am thankful that there are people who will take the message of Christ to a world that desperately needs it even if there is risk involved. 
     This summer, if it be the Lord's will, I will be preaching two camp meetings and one revival.  I ask you to pray that I would fulfill the will of God in these endeavors.  There will be a lot of people who will sit in the seats and I need to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ clearly at each occasion.  Pray that I know what God desires for me to preach and that I will fulfill His will in this.  While I have certain ideas of what should be spoken it is my desire to only speak what He wants.  So I ask you to please pray for me!
     I would think that everyone of us will have challenges and opportunities presented to us through this summer.  It is my prayer that you be used by God in each one of them.  May the God of all ages stand with you and empower you to be His tool for His glory!


Have a great day,


HGRudd

Hello Folks,
     I have been listening to a CD where Jim Cymbala was at the Cove in Ashville, North Carolina leading a conference.  In that CD he said that 5 polling agencies have said that using the standards of Jesus being the only Savior and the Bible being our rule of faith that only 7.2? to 9% of the population in the U.S. are Christian.  He brought up the thought that the U.S. can no longer claim to be Christian with those kinds of statistics.  I would say that with the acceptance of pluralism by our educational and political class unless there is a great revival it will not get any better.
     It seems to me that the first century church lived in a world that was slanted even more against them.  The Roman government did not accept them with open arms, the religious world (both Jew and Pagan) were in opposition to them, they had no wealth and no military power.  Yet they were used by God to turn their world upside down.  Can we in the church world of today be used by God to facilitate such a change?  The answer is yes!  But it means that we in the church must be men and women who have one message and that is Jesus for our world.  While we should be concerned about politics and the opposition that we face the one thing that we should consider the most is who is our Savior!  Is God leading us in our lives?  If He is then we need not fear who is against us neither should we be overly concerned with who is for us as long as He is with us! 
     Do we see our time here as being lived in a world of great restraints or do we see it as a time of great opportunity?  I ask you to pray for me that I might be the man God would use in this world for Him!  I will pray that you will be the man or woman that He would also use in this world.


Have a great day.


HGRudd

Hello Folks,
     I have some questions in my mind and sometimes I wonder if they are shaped by my desire to have good numbers in church?  Maybe you can help me on this and tell me what you think.


     There is a fundamental shift that is catching up to our community here in Greeneville, Tennessee.  It seems that Sunday p.m. is something that is of little if any value to people in our day.  Over the past 5 years I have seen a marked change in what people do where Sunday is concerned.  It seems that family gatherings and any kind of activity takes precedence over the church?  Now, the question is whether it really matters?  We know that God did not tell us to go to church on Sunday a.m. and p.m.  Could it be that we are just slow in catching up to what really matters in life?  Or could it be that we are selling the next generation's spiritual life for ballgames and hotdogs?  Does it seem to you that the 40 something's and younger are treating church as something that is nice but not a necessity?  In my mind church cannot be separated from Christ since He is the Bridegroom and the church is the Bride?  Can we be people of God without placing value on what he places value?  Am I putting my measurements on people rather than putting God's measurements on them? 
     This is the struggle that I am having.  What about you?  Is it an issue where you are at?  Do you see this as a cultural thing?  Do you see people making God of less concern in their lives due to them making the church of less concern?  Let me know what you think.


Have a great day,


HGRudd