The early church was married to poverty, prisons and persecutions. Today, the church is married to prosperity, personality, and popularity.” – L. Ravenhill

GOOD STUFF

We have closed down several Mission Points over the past year and half. God has showed me clearly the results of shutting down Mission Points this past week. I am unable to really communicate the heartbreak that I feel when we have to look at the people of a community and say, “We can’t bring the Gospel to you.” It is ten times harder to look at them and say, “We must stop bringing the Gospel to you.” There is one community in Raleigh with over 300 units that we have been involved in since the second year of Mission Raleigh. While it has not been officially shut down it has only been be on one leg the past year trying to serve there.
We had a week long Kid’s Club there this past week. I had to break up fights every day as the kids were trying to impress the thugs hanging around during the club. One day I had to break up three fights in four minutes. I had to take steel pipes from youth and was even threatened by one of the youth with a steel pipe. Tears fell from my eyes as I realized that we had surrendered the ground that Christ had won there over the years. Some had to quit because there education and finished up, others had to leave because of family, some stop going out of fear, and I had not been a factor because of health. Our enemy quickly retook this precious ground and has reinforced his hold on the community. Makes me think of Matthew 12

Please pray that God will send reinforcements so that we can go reclaim that community in the precious time we have left.
Contact me at scotty@missionraleigh.org if you want more information on this subject.

So I am on my way to Kansas City to work with my old pal Judson. I drove 13 hours today and I have about 5 hours to go tomorrow to get there. I am anxious to get there.
To tired to write much more.

I begin this new blog as I have restarted a journey in my life. I decided a month ago that I was tired of my weight hindering my work for the Lord. I started going back to Weight Watchers and have lost 25 pounds in one month! My original intent was to lose enough weight to get a Gastric By-pass. But now I am praying to see if I should continue that route or just try to do it on my own. I am not talking a little weight, I mean after losing 25lbs I am still at 405. That is at least 180 more pounds to lose. I know it can be done but ask you to pray with me as I seek the route that God has for me.

It is critical for me to lose the weight because of the damage I have done to my knee for carrying so much weight over the years. I experience quite a bit of pain daily. I miss playing with the kids, walking my Spaniel, playing Golf with my friends, and being able to do activities with my wife. I am trying to become less so He can become Greater! John 3:30. I will give God the glory for every ounce I lose. It will also restore me physically so I can work at making his name Famous in Raleigh and the World!

This blog will chronicle many areas of my life. I will blog my journey on my weight loss here, I will also explore my love of art, publish my poetry and essays, share what I learn while serving God in at-risk communities, talk about my famil and also share my belief in Jesus. I hope you will follow along and be a part of the conversation.

My name is Scott but the kids all call me Scottyb