Friend Victories

Not too long ago I was in conversation with negative and critical talk about church…then the disparaging remarks were justified in the name of love…yeah right? As I read the New Testament I find rebukes in the name of Jesus, I see correction and admonition for Godly living, and I see Paul reprimanding the church at Corinth. However, I don’t see a lot of, if any (please feel free to correct me if I am wrong), dudes sitting around picking the church apart! Especially brothers and sisters in Christ!

Friend Church in January 2010

You have to love Paul recognizing the church at Ephesus for BEing a church that really got it. They did it simply with their love. And folks, that’s what it’s all about – love. Paul, in his perceptive observation, tells them that he would pray that they continue loving. Sadly, just 30 years later we read in Revelation 2, the bad news…they lost that loving feeling. But it wasn’t a feeling. It was the power of God residing in them…gone. Here’s my question: How did they lose their first love? How did they lose focus on Jesus? You have to wonder…it could have been that they focused on the negative more than the positive. It could have been that discouragement ruled the day. Maybe it was just a critical spirit let loose to roam around.

I have learned this: Real friends will tell you when you are wrong, but they will not tear you down. I happen to like focusing on positive accomplishments stemming from our obedience to the Lord Jesus. There are some great, great things going on in the life of Friend Church. So I decided to do something every now and then…look back at the victories in the life of FC:

*We have baptized 40 plus new believers in Jesus in the last 12 months

*FC has responded by giving thousands of dollars to local and state-wide missions in the last 60 days

*Our church alone (just us, our gifts) has passed out 50,000 plus Bibles in China

*Many of our “Friends” work each weekend ministering to the homeless downtown Columbia

*Bikers started their own church using our facility…it’s grown to about 65 each Friday night

*Maybe the most important: People are loving one another…there’s nothing they won’t do for each other

I love friends, and I love victories…I think I will continue to share friend victories…we need them!!!!

December Baptism

At Friend, we baptize every 5 to 6 weeks…it’s very important to us…and it’s always, always a celebration of what God has done!!!

Dog the Bountiful Hunter

[Don't read this blog before you read "Dog Gone" below, and before you read that, read "Dog's Baptism" and before you read that watch FriendTips #1 at gregdowey.com]

This is part 4! Who knew it would keep going like this, but this is the coolest story I have heard in some time. It is cool because it keeps showing us the power of God!

Franko (Pope of Biker Church) called me tonight and said, “Greg, Dog was released today from jail! He got 200 yards from the door and called me on his wife’s mobile phone as she was picking him up after his release.” Then Franko told me about how Dog is now being used by God as a bountiful hunter.

“Greg, he was released after 8 days, but now he gets to go back on Wednesday nights and minister to the inmates! And he even shared his testimony while he was in there!!!”

Franko and I both starting laughing with happiness for Dog, and his family. Isn’t this story impossible! It is impossible, but thanks to God all things are possible with Him. Stay tuned because at this rate there will be more for sure to share about Dog! Pray for him and his family right now.

Dog Gone (Dog part 3)

Before you read this…make sure you have seen the FriendTips #1 (go to gregdowey.com), then make sure you read “Dog’s Baptism” which is part 2 of this story on this blog page, then you can read part 4 titled, “Dog the Bountiful Hunter”…okay, here we go…

Franko (Biker Church Pope) called me late last Friday afternoon and said, “Greg, pray for Dog, he’s in jail.” I cringed inside and said out loud, “Oh no!” Franko then told me the rest of the story. Dog woke up last Monday morning, 2 days after his baptism and told his wife that he felt that now as a Christ follower, he had to make things right, and with an arrest warrant hanging over his head from a year or so older DUI, he went and turned himself in at the police station. They put him in jail.

Franko then told me that previously at the Baptism,he shared with Dog,  that now as a Christ follower, the enemy would tempt him and come after him…Franko then shared about Jesus being in the desert for 40 days and being tempted by Satan…and that was it….he baptized him.

Dog’s wife called Franko after they locked her husband up and said, “Franko, they told me that he would probably be in there 40 days!” Franko said, “Greg, I didn’t have the heart to tell her…yes he will.”

Wow! Isn’t God’s messages and experiences words to live by?!

the Turkey Bowl

Scenes from 5th annual Turkey Bowl…

Dog’s Baptism

Many of you have tuned in to FriendTips and you saw the video of Franko talking about his new Biker Friend, Dog, making the decision to follow Christ.

If you missed the story, here it is: http://friendtips.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/hello-world/

Franko and his friends were successful in delivering Dog’s Bike, and Franko kept the peddle to the metal, I think he had to pay for that too! Anyway, they made it back in record time, driving 30 hours straight! They were back at Friend Church on Sunday morning! Cool!

The super cool thing was Franko baptized Dog while he was there. This is what friends do for friends in the Kingdom of God. They love them, they share Christ, and they help them follow Christ as the very best friend. Here’s the deal: Dog’s not a goner, he is a new friend in Christ…Dog!

The Great Wall of China

This is Bob and me at the Great Wall last month! We had a debate…see what happens…

October Baptism @ FC

At Friend Church we have baptism every 6 weeks! Baptism is the outward expression of our decision to follow Jesus…. What do I say when I baptize someone?  Here it is: “Upon your profession of faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and in obedience to Him…I baptize you my brother/sister, in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

China

Here’s a typical greeting we received when we arrived at our Bible distribution sites…

The Greeting

On Saturday morning, October 10th, we began our Bible distribution in the province of Hunan. It is the largest province in China with…I don’t know, a gazillion people! We had 10,000 Bibles to distribute and when we got to our first site we were met with a marching band! I was not ready for that. It moved me. They wouldn’t win the battle of the marching bands, but it was music in our ears! Watch and listen…