Preparing for God to move

As Spring Break week approaches, the anticipation and excitement are on the rise. There are already over 300 children (grades 1-6) pre-registered for Champs Camp and we are expecting many more to register on Monday. Tomorrow we will see college students from 6 universities from all over Texas arriving to begin their week in Harlingen. Sunday will be a day of training for all the college students and the many volunteers from FBC Harlingen. The weekend will be busy, preparing for a great week of ministry and evangelism.

This is our 12th year for Champs Camp at FBC Harlingen; a great sports camp that includes 12 sporting events (including bowling, gymnastics, karate, football, baseball, tennis, golf, etc.), as well as great worship, bible study, and craft times. Several churches, local businesses and the city of Harlingen partner with FBC Harlingen to care for the children of Harlingen, while many of their parents are working during Spring Break. It is one more way, we show our community how much we love them and love their children - sacrificially and passionately.

Please join us in praying for the many families that will be a part of this great event. Pray for the children and their parents. Pray for the college students and leaders as they travel and work long hours each day. Pray for the many volunteers who will sleep little, work hard, and love passionately - all week.

We are anticipating a great move of God and expecting many lives to be changed - if God's people pray.

Pastor Wade

First Day of Vacation Bible School

The church buildings were filled with lots of noise today, VBS has begun. The fun and the worship were very loud in the worship center (over 400 people, most children, can easily make a lot of noise in one room). The halls were filled with laughter and chatter as the kids moved from one activity to the next. The gym was packed with excited, screaming kids running and playing (praise God for an air conditioned gym).

But noise is not all the church was filled with today, the place was filled with love. The kids were all eager to give high-fives, hugs, or smiles as they passed you in the halls. They somehow know that when they come on to the property and enter the buildings that the halls and rooms are filled with the love of God - because the hearts of all the people are filled with God's love. I enjoyed watching the youth serve snacks, help with crafts, or carry a little one who just wanted someone to carry them (for many it was there first VBS, and their first time away from Mom in a new place).

I watched our leaders carefully teach the truth of God's word to the children, knowing that God's word would never return void - that it would change their lives. I saw the results of many hours of preparation, as the rooms were decorated with great imagery. I saw smiles on the faces of the adults as they willingly gave of their time, money, and love to care for these kids and hopefully make a difference in their lives, - - - if even for just one day.

I look forward to the rest of the week, to see what all God is going to fill this place with each day.

Fall Festival - Fun and Exciting

Halloween may have been celebrated by many in our nation, but at First Baptist Church Harlingen, we were celebrating the love of God.  On the night when many focus on evil, we were blessed to be a part of something great that focused on the love and grace of God as it is expressed in this world through the church.

It was so good to see several churches hosting special events to minister to our community.  Every year the family at First Baptist Harlingen uses the evening of Halloween to host our Fall Festival for the families of our community.  Our driving passion is to love the people of our community, and the Fall Festival was one of the many opportunities we have to show it.  

I was so thankful to hear from so many who shared that they truly felt loved by God and the FBC family.  So many were thankful for the event, for the church to offer something of such great quality for their children.  From all that I heard, there is no doubt that the community saw and felt the real love of God through the family of First Baptist Church Harlingen.

Thank you - to all the leaders and servants who gave up so much time and who worked so hard to be sure Harlingen was loved.

a witness of God's love,

Bro. Wade

Snake Bit and Bent Backwards

We had a great Preteen Camp at Zephyr this week.  The sponsors were great and the campers (kids) were exceptional this week.  God blessed us with a lot of rain, at just the right time so as not to dampen our spirits by limiting our activities.  We enjoyed fun and friendships every day.

The worship leaders and camp pastor passionately love Jesus and it was contagious.  They led us closer to the Lord and we were all so thankful for them and the way they praised God and proclaimed His word every time we were together.  They were available to the campers all during the week at meals and around the campus.  What a joy to watch our young people spend time with adults who are in love with God.

There were many in the group who made decisions, some for salvation, some for rededication, and some just taking a giant step closer to God.  As sponsors we were blessed to know that God was using every act of service on our part as a way of blessing so many young people.

The parents thanked us as a church and as sponsors for the blessing of camp for their children.  But we need to thank the parents for sending their wonderful children with us to camp, for it was our blessing to spend that time with them.  

By the way the title of the blog  - - - during camp I was bit by a snake and hyper-extended my back in the inflatables.  What a week to remember.

Vacation Bible School

This year had to be the best VBS that I have experienced in 25 years of ministry.  There was a sweet spirit throughout the church, which I believe was due to the many who prayer walked the church campus early in the morning, late in the afternoon, and throughout the day.  Thank you prayer walkers.  

There were so many volunteers this year that people were not overwhelmed, so the stress level was down, the work load was manageable, and there were fewer problems to work through.  We are so blessed to have the great volunteers in our children's ministry.  Every need was met, every child was loved, every class was enjoyed, and every worker was blessed.  

From the kitchen crew, to the office staff, from the youth group, to our eldest adults; we appreciate every person who served so selflessly.  This past week was truly an amazing adventure as we saw every age group in the community come together to make VBS 08 a huge success.  

Thankful for the servants of the Lord,

Bro. Wade 

Last Day, Great Day

Throughout the week at Champs Camp we have seen God work in the lives of so many children (and their parents). We have had the privilege of loving children who attend churches all over the valley and many children who do not attend any church. We had families from different religions and many denominations take part in Champs Camp. We are so thankful for the outreach to the community and for the opportunity for churches in Harlingen to come together.

We were blessed to see many children trust Christ as their Savior by the end of the week. Their lives have been changed forever as a result of all the love and labor poured into Champs Camp. One girl prayed to accept Christ as her savior on Thursday morning as her mother drove her to FBC; they prayed in the car and by the time she arrived, she was a new person in Christ. What a privilege to share Jesus with these great kids and their families.

Thursday night was a great and glorious night - a little LOUD, but it was great. We were in "standing room only" mode, but the many parents who attended were gracious and patient. The children revealed to us how much fun they have had this week, and our "Champions in Christ" were revealed to us as well. So many children dedicated their hearts and minds to Christ and will be his mighty champions at school and at home.

Please continue to pray for our "Champions" as they re-enter their schools this next week. Please pray for our volunteers, deacons and staff as the follow-up now begins. Please pray for the families that were challenged in their faith this past week. Pray that as they have been challenged and as the first Sunday after Champs Camp is Easter that God will bring many of those families into a closer walk with Christ during this time of year that we focus on Christ and God's love for us.

Thank you for serving in and praying for Champs Camp. It was a GREAT WEEK!

Challenged to be a Champion,
Bro. Wade

Great Morning!!!!

What a joy it was to baptize my daughter Rachel today. She wanted everyone to see her testimony today so that someone might come to know Jesus as a result of her baptism. It was great to have her brothers sitting on a step in the baptistry and her mother on the other side; it truly was a family experience.

Now that my second child has accepted Christ, things change a little in our house. Adam and Rachel both need the constant discipleship for new Christians, and Aaron continues to need our counsel and guidance as he grows up to understand God's love to the fullest potential. We will have to be careful in how we keep Aaron from feeling left out during communion and other special events, but we will just have to rely on the Lord's leadership to help us through it. For now, we will continue to celebrate one of Rachel's most important days in her life.

We are so thankful for all who have partnered with our family to raise our children to love the Lord with all their hearts.

A thankful parent,
Bro. Wade

Praying for Students and Teachers

What a wonderful day today! Rarely do I have the privilege of preaching a sermon and then offering immediate ways to respond to that message, but today was one of those days. Following the morning message that challenged us to pray passionately, we saw every name of our children (kindergarten through college) taken by families in our church. Those students will be lifted in prayer and supported throughout the school year. Some have already contacted their student to encourage them, to inform them of their prayer support, and to get to know the student. What a joy to watch these children and young adults enter their campuses tomorrow with the prayer support of so many in their church family. May God hear our prayers and bless those for whom we pray.

The second opportunity was of course our annual campus prayer walk. All day people gathered at the school campuses throughout the valley to prayer walk. Our family enjoys walking together (actually the children ride bikes or scooters). This year the Hood family prayer walked with the Blakeslee family. We took turns watching the children while others prayer walked. Church members, joined by other believers, prayed all day in response to the campus prayer walk. Thank you for your visible commitment to the Lord, and the community in which he has placed us.

If you have not yet participated in these great opportunities to pray, I encourage you to join us now, by praying alone and together with others for God to be glorified in the lives of his children.

Praying passionately and immediately,
Bro. Wade

Not as young as I used to be

After close to 30 church camps in my life, I still enjoy the time at camp with children and youth.
I spent the week with about 80 children plus sponsors from our church at camp Zephyr for Children's Camp. We had so much fun, played many games, enjoyed the recreation, and spent a lot of time in the word of God. I was blessed with an opportunity to spend quality time with so many great kids. My relationship with those kids has grown so much, I feel like I know them better and they seem to feel the same about me.
As I got to know the kids better, I was so encouraged by their love for God. They were great examples of Christ-followers all week. But what really encouraged me was how much time they wanted to spend reading the Bible (with flashlights at night, during breaks, in the mornings and evenings). The love our children have for God was evidenced in their lives each day of camp.
The way they served each other, the way they respected the sponsors, the way they helped people they did not know, were all ways in which Christ was seen in their lives. Their love for God was clearly seen in what they did. I believe Jesus said it this way; "If you love me, you will obey what I command." (John 14:15) The FBC Harlingen Children's Ministry is definitely being used by God to partner with parents to produce children of great character; the character of Christ.
I was truly challenged by our children this week. Their pure love for God, love for his word, and love for his people, really challenged all of the sponsors. Let us all come to the Lord with a child-like faith and love.

"2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. "
Matt 18:2-5 (NIV)

from one who is not as young as he used to be, but who needs to be youthful in his love for God,
Bro. Wade

VBS 2007

WOW! It is always overwhelming to see God changing lives, especially the lives of children who have so many years to give to the Lord. The Vacation Bible School held this week at First Baptist Church Harlingen was truly used by God to change the lives of so many children and the their families.

There were of course the children who accepted Christ as their Savior and Lord. Their testimonies are so precious. One young lady I had the privilege of praying with as she accepted Christ attended one day of VBS, the very day that we shared the gospel individually with students. I am so glad that life is not a matter of chance; God is sovereign over all.

There were also students who had already accepted Christ, but they came to VBS with life problems that seemed far more advanced than their years should allow. The boy whose father had died recently, the child who is dealing with bullies, the children whose parents are divorcing, the children who are soon moving to a new place and those who recently moved to the valley; all of these and many more found love, peace, acceptance, and strength while at FBC Harlingen. What a privilege to serve these children this week.

There were also many other children who are too young to understand the gospel and their need for salvation. We had the privilege of helping those children to learn more and experience more of God's love. They took another step on their journey of faith and we were excited to help them make that step.

In every way, we are thankful that God chose to use us for His work in the lives of these children and their families. We pray that we are not finished, that we will have more opportunities to serve these families.

from one who had the joy of living and loving like a child for a week at VBS,
Bro. Wade

Planting God's Word in the Next Generation

Wednesday evening's AWANA Award Night was so great to watch. I enjoyed hearing the names of so many children called as they were acknowledged for their efforts in memorizing and learning the Word of God this past year. It was great to think about how many lives and families will be changed for years to come by the word that was planted in this young generation. Knowing that somehow we had a part in what God was doing this year to change the lives of these young people (and their parents) was so humbling and yet amazing at the same time. Our church is blessed to have this opportunity - each year!

When we recognized all the volunteers who serve so faithfully in AWANAs, I found my heart filled with so much appreciation. My three children take part in this wonderful ministry each week and my family is blessed by these volunteers. So many of them work hard all day and rush to the church to make Wednesday happen at FBC Harlingen. I could never begin to thank them enough for what they do for the Lord, for so many children, and for my family.

I look forward to a great Summer of ministry to children and youth. I find myself praying for the leaders, volunteers, students, and their families. I can only imagine all that God is going to do.

Planting the Word with you,
Bro. Wade

P.S. Just to let you know, we will be presenting a minister to the church as a candidate for our Children and Discipleship Minister on June 10. We will vote during both services. Be praying.