DAN GOULD

FROM THE INSIDE OUT

Author: dgould77

  • Weekend Review – B2S Retreat

    What a great Weekend!  Yes we had some challenges but everything seemed to work out.  Ken Freeman and Nick Thurmond kicked us off in a great way.  Here are some Highlights:

    • 6 student accepted Christ Friday Night
    • Ken Freeman really did a great job connecting with all of us and challenging us to be evangelistic.
    • Nick Thurmond led us in great worship.
    • Host Homes – Awesome!  This weekend couldn’t have happened with out them
    • Small Group Teams – Coaches and Small Groups leaders did an awesome job on not a lot of sleep!
    • Great discussions in homes and then at the church
    • The Game – fun, tiring, stressful, glad to see the 11th and 12th graders win finally!
    • The Food – Lasagna for dinner Saturday and a full breakfast Sunday Morning, how can you go wrong with that.
    • The first – Tyler leading worship for the first time with our group, Josh and Lisa both speaking for the first time to a large group!!  Major highlights for me
      • Don’t forget the Friendship Evangelism Challenge!!!
        • Reveal you are a Christian!
        • Extend and invitation to church or event!
        • Ask if you can share your story!
        • Communicate how/why you became a Christian!
        • Help them to know Christ!
    • Lastly, seeing the student building full!

    This truly was a great weekend but lets not let it be something we look back to as and event but as a start to a great journey of reaching our friends for Christ!

  • It’s Finished . . .

    The boxes from Ikea are empty and the stuff is put together!!!  It only took me until 4:00am to get it all done.

    No I haven’t lost my mind.  Jackson was throwing up last night (6 times in less than an hour) thanks to Long John Silvers and we were watching his fever to make sure he was ok.  Therefore, today I am paying for it!

    Here are the pics.

  • Luke 15:1-10

    “Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.  This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!” v. 1-2

    This past weekend our student ministry held a B2S Retreat where we focused on Evangelism all weekend!  Sometimes, who am I kidding, many times evangelism can be scary.  One of the things I notice as I read through the scriptures and study the life of Jesus, rarely do you see Him hanging out with the religious people of the day.  He always drew a crowd and wasn’t afraid to be with people that others might condemn.  He loved them the way they were but challenged to become all that God wanted them to be.

    This resonates with me so much.  Jesus wants each of us to follow His example and share His love with everyone, not just some.  I love what the NLT Study Bible says about Jesus in the notes today,

    Jesus came to offer salvation to sinners and to show that God loves them. Jesus didn’t worry about the accusations.  Instead, he continued going to those who needed him, regardless of the effect these rejected people might have on his reputation.

    Jesus saw everyone the way they were intended to be not the way they were! For that, I am thankful . . . aren’t you? When you look at others what do you see? How do you respond?

    “In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” v. 7

  • We went to Ikea . . .

    Now I have to put the contents in these boxes together before I go to bed.  It’s 8:45pm now . . . PRAY!

  • Healer – Michael Guglielmucci Confession and Apology

    Well, here is the DL (down low) from the person who knows the story and situation the best Michael Guglielmucci. There are a lot of different views and responses to this. I think sometimes we forget that even Pastors deal with sin and sometimes feel they have no where to turn for help. I am not justifying what has been done, but continuing to pray that somehow God would use this to bring His Name glory and advance His Kingdom. He still is the Healer!

    Vodpod videos no longer available.

    Join the Conversation – How do you think the Church should respond? Does his story discredit the song?

  • Mexico Mission Trip Pictures

    Well, it’s been over a month but here they are . . . Mexico Mission Trip Pictures from Fusion.  I was hounded this weekend at our B2S Retreat, which I will blog about tomorrow after I get some rest, to post these pictures.  I will tell you this much about the B2S Retreat, it was an awesome weekend!!!!!
    Enjoy the pics!

  • Send Me, I’ll Go – IS 6:8

    Well this week the Student Staff has been so busy getting ready for the B2S Retreat!!!  We have doubled our numbers from last year!!!  So Awesome!!!  I am really excited to see what happens this weekend.  Ken Freeman and Nick Thurmond will be here to kick it off tomorrow night.  The whole weekend we are going to be talking about Evangelism which is a really big church word that means reaching others for Christ.  This weekend has the potential to change the face of our student ministry.  I have been praying that students and leaders would have a passion not to sit quietly watching opportunities pass them by, but to be ready and willing to share when the opportunity arises.  I can’t wait to see this place packed this weekend!!!!

  • Luke 14:15-35

    “‘Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? 35 Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!’” v. 34-35

    In Matthew 15, Jesus says that we are the salt of the earth.  We are to be that seasoning that make things better!  Think of it like this.  When you are around non-believer, you are seasoning their life by what God is doing in yours, and hopefully, you are sharing the Gospel with them.  When you are around other believers, you are seasoning their life by the things God is teaching you and the way you encourage and inspire them to continue in their own journey with God.

    Regardless of where we are, Jesus wants to use us.  However, the costs are high, if you don’t believe me read these 3 verses,

    A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, 26 “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. 27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.”

    The people understood what it meant to carry a cross because anyone who was put to death (crucified) had to carry there own cross through town in order to get to the place they would be crucified.  Today we understand it because we know that Christ had to carry His own cross.

    Today, will you carry your cross and be the salt of the earth that Jesus describes here and in Matthew 15?

  • Luke 14:1-14

    “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” v. 11

    Wow, I needed that verse today.  For the last couple of days, Stephanie and I have been looking at what is really important in life.  We have been thrown different challenges with Jackson and every time we think we are on the verge of recovery something else happens.  We are praying for wisdom as we seek different options in providing for our family’s needs, and honoring God with all of our life.  Pride wants to have us think everything is ok, and fear wants to have us think everything is doomed.  Somewhere in the middle of that is faith that God will take care of the details.  We just have to trust Him.  To be honest, that sounds really good, and It’s much easier to say or write than it is to do.

    My hearts prayer and desire today is that our life (mine and my families) would be about Him, more than it is about us.  That we would lean on His resources and not our own, and that we would be humble not prideful.  I hope that is your desire also!

  • Luke 13:22-35

    “And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.” v. 30

    Jesus is answering the question, “Lord, will only a few be saved?”  This is a great debate even today.  There are many people who know about God, but don’t know God.  This is a big difference.  Jesus goes on to teach that Gods Kingdom may have many surprises.  People who are despised now will be greatly honored then, some influential people here now will be left outside the gate.

    The lesson for all of us is to make sure the condition of our heart is sort to Gods grace, forgiveness, and salvation offered to us through Jesus.  If we will trust God with the details of our lives and live according to His plans, accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we will enter through the narrow road Jesus is describing.

    Today, may we be mindful of the things we say and do.  May we live for an audience of One, allowing our public and private self be the same regardless who is around!