Casey's First Born

The moment we have all been waiting for has finally come. Chris and Ashley Casey are the proud new parents of a beautiful baby boy. Ethan Bradley Casey was born on August 16, weighing 6 lbs 3 oz .
I have the privilege to meet him for the first time tonight…I can’t wait.
Congrats Chris and Ashley we love you!

Cyber Athletes Cash In

My dad and mom used to tell me that I was going to rot away in front of a video game. I loved to play Mike Tyson Punch-Out, Zelda, and John Madden's Football. I didn’t have a Nintendo of my own, but my best friend David Manning had one with all the accessories. That is where I would slip away occasionally. We` wasted hour after hour just sitting around a television gripping a controller tightly, eating potato chips and drinking gallons of Pepsi.
Although games have changed (thank God for change) radically over the last 20 years, it’s still proving to keep folks entertained. Video game consoles and software are expected to bring in a staggering 30 billion dollars this year. That’s more than twice the revenue brought in by the NFL, MLB, and the NBA. Wow! Who would have ever though that it could be lucrative for the game player? With such an outrageous amount of cash spent in the gaming industry and the rapid growth of gaming console gurus, there was a need for a new breed of athletes—cyber athletes. Cyber athletes play all year long via the internet with other gamers from around the world. Then, they gather together once a year to compete in World Cyber Games. They really have it together. They even have coaches.
A young man known as 'Fatality' recently won $150,000. Of course, at the beginning of his vision to be the greatest game player in the world, his mother didn't approve. So, he moved in with his dad and pursued his dream. Well, as you can tell, it paid off.
At the San Francisco World Cyber Games, the purse was over $400,000. Just think next time before you criticize those for 'wasting time' playing video games.

Getting to Know Your Pastor

Today, Michelle Rumreich and I had the privilege of meeting Laura Chase from the Joy FM 88.1. She treated us to an amazing lunch at the Turtle Club in Punta Gorda. Thanks Luara!
The purpose of the meeting was to do a pastoral interview. Joy FM has created a program that airs a short interview with pastors from various churches. I was chosen to do the interview. My interview was a series of quick, relative questions that I had to fire from the hip to answer. The questions vary from what’s the fastest you’ve ever driven, to what’s your favorite cd? The answers to these questions gives listeners (30% of which are not churched) a chance to hear what it’s like to know a pastor as a “real person.” Whoever came up with this is a genius. “Getting to know you pastor” is probably the MOST creative idea I’ve seen in a long time.
Anyhow, the interview was fun and inspiring. Of course, Joy FM has the right person doing the interviews. Laura made Michelle and I feel like we were the most important church in Charlotte County. Not only that, but after lunch, she took a picture of us for her “prayer wall” and pledged to pray for our church. That’s what ministry is all about!
The interview will be airing soon, so watch this blog to find out when you can hear ‘Getting to Know Your Pastor.”

Baby Showers: a Place for Men to Play

After an exhilarating Sunday morning celebration service, I headed down to Punta Gorda for Ashley Casey’s baby shower. This is the first shower that I have ever attended. It was interesting. And, the food was amazing!
The women started playing some games that were baby related. Of course the guys helped out with some of them. Iwas really amazed at how much Joey knew about baby stuff...more than some of the ladies.
But after the women played their games, the men were up. The object of the men’s games was to suck four ounces of water through a baby bottle. Now, some may think that’s easy. But, I assure you that it’s not as easy as it seems. The nipple hardly had a hole in the end. It was like sucking a banana through a straw.
Anyhow, Joey Marchese won the challenge. He won a die-cast car (which he already collects). I knew he was a SUCKER!

Sunday's Highlights

Sunday was one of those mornings that seemed nothing could go right. My family woke up late (after an exhausting week of moving and laying wood laminate), struggled with some last minute preparations, and hit the door running. We needed to be at the school to set up for worship service by 8:30 AM.
Well, we didn’t get there until 9:15. But when we arrived, a great team of volunteers had already set-up the auditorium. That’s what it’s all about! Great leaders rising to the occasion and making things happen, when circumstances arise that are out of the norm. Great job guys and ladies!
Brian had an amazing line-up for the worship. Not only was it a great line-up, but the worship band resonated the auditorium with high quality, energetic worship. I enjoyed every song.
By the time the worship ended, I was chomping at the bit to get on stage. The people were ready to hear the Word. I have been doing a series on baggage. This series has offered a season of revelation and restoration. As I finished preaching, I felt like there was a strong connection made to the people with the Word.
However, the highlight of the service was not the worship or the preaching…it was the altar call. Everyone in the building was at the altar seeking to be free from various “baggage” issues. It was a touching moment. Tears were not lacking. Even the strong melted in the hands of the King. I tarried there for some time as I didn’t get a release to close the service. So, I just continued to pray.
All of a sudden, I looked up at the back of the auditorium, and there was a young man (whom I’ve never seen before) standing there crying. I immediately motioned him down and asked him if I could pray for him… he said, “sure.” So I prayed for him as I would anyone. He wept and cried, but it seemed he didn’t understand what was going on.
After the service, I caught the young man and asked him about his faith. He could not answer me verbally. The only thing he could do was cry and nod his head( with stammering lips). So I asked him several questions about his walk with God. Bottom line, he did not know any thing about God or Jesus. I asked him if he felt Jesus. He nodded that he did. So, I asked him if he wanted to accept Christ and he shook his head, yes! We prayed, he repented of his sins, and accepted Christ.
When he came around enough that I could communicate with him, I asked several questions. Was he there to pick someone up? Where did this he come from? How long had he been there? How could I help him? Etc. His response elated me. He said he’d been jogging at the school and wanted a drink of water, so he went up into the school. When he got in the school, he heard us praying in the auditorium. He then went into the auditorium to see what was going on. Everyone at the altar praying and he stated, "I was captivated." He watched for a couple minutes, and then He said, “I could not move…I felt something like I have never felt before.” And that’s the moment I looked up and motioned him to come down.
I was pumped! And to think, he didn’t even hear my sermon.

Me, Ed, and the Gang from Homestead

Joey and I headed down to Miami Thursday for the C3 conference led by Ed Young—pastor of Fellowship Church. It was super enriching! We were challenged to surround ourselves with the right people (right they) and stay away from the negative people (wrong they I soaked it up like a brand new sponge being plunged into a bucket full of water for the first time. Then, being overfilled and running over, I felt like being rung out and soaking up some more.
Pictures are worth a thousand words. I don’t know exactly how I ended up sitting next to Ed Young. But I enjoyed the time spent with him there. Anyhow, maybe some of Ed’s brilliance rubbed off on me. Or, maybe the anointing will flow down to me in a double portion. Afterwards, we hung around to do some brainstorming with Pastor Travis and some of his key leaders. It was enriching to see the passion that was birthed by this conference. Everyone seemed to have some input as to how our churches can be remarkable instead of invisible. We all decided that we should get back to the basics and reconsider or values.

Baggage

Many Christians struggle through life carrying unnecessary spiritual baggage. That’s not the life God has for us. According to scripture, we should lay aside all the heaviness that slows down our forward progress.
In this series, we will learn to identify some things that are holding us back and overcome them.
Series begins Sunday June 25 @ 10:00 AM.

Here's a sneak peak

6/25 baggage check
7/2 overcoming addictions
7/9 emotional baggage
7/16 released from depression

C3 Conference

This is going to be one of the greatest church/leadership development seminars that the Life Pointe leadership can attend. Ed Young, from Fellowship Church, will be teaching the conference. Ed has developed Fellowship Church over the last 16 years to be a radically creative church with a staggering 20,000 people in weekly attendance.
Now, there’s some irony between Fellowship Church and Life Pointe. Fellowship Church started in an office complex, and then moved to an arts center at a high school. Life Pointe started in a doctor’s office and then, we moved to the high school auditorium. So, maybe we’re getting a glimpse into what the future holds for Life Pointe Church!
Would you like to develop your leadership skills to more effectively advance the kingdom of God at Life Pointe? Well, if so, jot down this date and contact Pastor Lewis to get registered.
I will be leaving on Wednesday evening June 14th and spending the night in Homestead. Registration will begin at 8:00 AM Thursday morning.

Espresso Yourself

Espresso is a serious drink. Just a tiny cup of it packs a powerful caffeinated punch. In much the same way, our lives can make a powerful impact on those around us. This Life Pointe Church message series promises to caffeinate your life as you understand what it means to “Espresso Yourself” in ways that honor God and your relationships with others. But, don’t take our word for it, check it out for yourself in our NEW LOCATION at Port Charlotte High School. beginning on 5/14 @ 10 AM!

Topics:
5/14--Yank the Plank

5/21--Rude is the Mood

5/28--What Do You Say?

6/4--Is It In You?

Baptism & Barbeque

There's not much better to do on a hot spring day than taking a swim in a pool, especially when that swim involves baptism.
Last week at Life Pointe, following Sunday morning service, we headed down to Michelle and Vern’s office complex to do baptism and barbeque.
I love barbeque! I love to cook it as much as eating it. If any of you have eaten any of my barbeque, you know that I take much pride in cooking it. The best in the world, of course!
However, as much as I like to cook and eat barbeque, it pales in comparison to baptizing new converts. That's our commission we recieved from Christ and it is the greatest feeling in the world. I enjoyed dunking each one of them (NINETEEN TO BE EXACT). I held some under longer than others to ensure their decision to follow Christ. Praise God!

Here’s some pics.

Faster Pastor Race

Many pastor’s find themselves in a race to get their church attendance above Colleagues’ church attendance. I totally disagree! We should not be in competition for church attendance.
However, if given the opportunity, I love competition with games (especially ping pong) , sports, races, etc. believe me I look for those opportunities! Well, it’s that time of year again for the third annual "Faster Pastor" race. Of course I am ecstatic! It seems like yesterday that I was driving fearlessly around the track. There is nothing like it! The smell of rubber burning and tires squealing are the norm, as they are forced to take turns they are not designed for.
I am looking forward to getting strapped into a car that is customized by Life Pointe’s greatest people. The car is a reflection of Life Pointe's creativity and passion to be in the “race” (kingdom race of course). They will spend hours preparing the cars graphics and mechanics to ensure its visibility and victory. The race is fifty laps with no pit stops. Last year, I finished second after being spun out while passing a “lap” car. The year before, well, let’s just say I blew a tire and never finished.
Make plans to come out and support this great event. Tickets are $15. One half of this amount will be donated to Life Pointe. Race information: Charlotte County Speedway Saturday April 22 @ 9:00 PM
If you would like to get tickets to this race, e-mail us at info@thelifepointe.net.

The key to finding the perfect prayer partner is simple...

Just find someone willing!

Paintball: The Competitor's Choice

If there is any thing I love, it is competitive sports. The sheer excitement of beating my opponent keeps me involved in any event. I guess that is why I recently was drawn to the paintball sport.
Today, we gathered a group of Life Pointe members, camouflage gear, Co2, and several buckets of paintballs, and we were off to the woods.
There are many different games that can be played (e.g. capture the flag, elimination, etc.). , today we chose elimination.
We moved tactfully through the woods to catch and shoot our opponents before they could shoot us. It was much like the game we played as children call "hide and seek." Some would hide, others would advance.
The worst thing is thinking you are safe behind some palmetto bushes, and hearing a fully automatic gun followed by pain to your back.
Our team won one game out of four games. Not bad for amateurs!

That's Amore' at Life Pointe

Dean Martin's classic song "That's Amore" set the atmosphere for a great time of love, laughs, and friendship at Life Pointe’s first Valentines Banquet Saturday night.
Although Life Pointe has only been around for a short time, it did not hinder the crowd of people that flooded the doors to enjoy this festive event. We invited them with open arms.
We enjoyed a diversity of Italian foods, ranging from Baked Ziti to Chicken Alfredo. Of course Italian food is not the same without garlic bread to accent it.
All the food was prepared by the greatest people in the world—Life Pointe’s members.
Great food and music was only part of what made this a great experience. The décor was amazing. Ladies spent nearly the entire day to make the experience epic. It was just that!
To end the evening on an even greater high, Paul and Kim Adams renewed their wedding vows to commemorate twenty-five years of marriage. Way to go Kim and Paul!!

Road Trip-Life Pointe on the move

Life Pointe Church will be going to Homestead to join them in an exciting celebration service. We want you to join us!
Sunday Morning, January 29th, Pastor Lewis Will be sharing a challenging message with the Life Pointe Church in Homestead, which will surely touch your life as well.
We will leave immediately following Saturday night service(Jan. 28th) and will arive in Homestead at around 11:00 P.M.
If you would like to be involved in this exciting trip, please contact Pastor Lewis @ 941.268.1757 or pastor@thelifepointe.net

Carpooling is available!

Life Pointe Website

Life Pointe's website is now operational. If you would like to visit the most creative website around, click here, or you can type in www.thelifepointe.net.

What's the Perfect Gift Worth?

The day after Thanksgiving is known as the largest sales day of the year. People wait for the sales papers to come out to see if the “hot items” will be in them.
We were up early on Thanksgiving to get our newspaper, which was overstuffed with sales ads. We spent Thanksgiving evening strategically planning our day. We knew where we would be and what time we would be there to ensure that we would get the items we wanted.
However, about 9:00 PM. (Thanksgiving night) I got a call from a secret shopping agent, Joey Marchese (Circuit City manager), who told me that there was already about twenty people in line at Circuit City for the sale on Friday morning.
I wanted that laptop for 2oo.00 and the free desktop which was in the sales paper… badly. Nothing was going to stop me! Did I really “need” them? No! But my sons will need them soon and that was enough reason for me.
So, my friend (visiting for the holidays) and I frantically grabbed some covers and lawn chairs and headed to spend the night in CC parking lot. We watched people come and go. The line grew to nearly 200 by 2:00 A.M. by 4:00 we were feeling the dew falling on us and the crowd was huge.
CC managers came out about 4:00 am to give out vouchers. We were number seventeen of nineteen who would receive on of those laptops for 200.00.
Now, actually getting the items was another story. I was in and out of CC until 9:30 Friday night.They were having computer problems all day. Twenty-four hours spent at CC for this deal! was it worth it? absolutely!

It’s amazing what we will do to get a good deal!

Video: Rev.Billy Joe Daugherty Turns the Other Cheek

Pastor Joe Daugherty was conducting an altar service, just as he had done many times, when Steven Rogers punched him in the face. Stevens displayed no hesitation, nor did he show any remorse for his actions. in Fact, it was reported that Stevens had done the exact thing to a pastor fifteen years ago.

I am truly amazed at the response of Pastor Daugherty. He did not retaliate in the least, but he did, however, put his blessings on Stevens and requested prayer for him. This is an excellent picture of the love that Christ showed us on the cross of Calvary.

My friend Travis Johnson found some video clips of the event.

Click here to check it out: http://www.pastortrav.blogspot.com/

Computer Prices: Good or Bad?

One of my computers recently went down. I began looking to buy a new one, but realized that it didn’t fit in my budget at the present.
While surfing the net, I found this ad for a computer scheduled to hit the market in 1989.
How would you like to buy one at this price?
So, when you compain about the prices of computers, remember, we could be paying much more.
Thank God for advancing technology!

Get What You Paid For?

After an eleven hour day of hard work, nothing would suit me better than an iced latte from Dunkin Donuts. They are incredible!
I ordered a “mocha iced latte” and proceeded to the window to pay. While sitting there waiting for my latte, I noticed the guy in the store filling a cup of coffee. He shook and tipped the canister hoping to make a full cup of “regular” coffee. However, there was only enough coffee to fill the cup one-third of the way. Showing his obvious frustration with the empty canister, he stuck the cup under the “decaf” nozzle and filled the cup. Then he took it to a customer at the counter, who I’m sure ordered the loaded stuff.
Now, if any of you are coffee drinkers, you know that is like ordering a steak and getting a plate of bean and rice. Many times, when I order coffee, it’s to get an extra jolt of energy. Although that was not my coffee…I felt cheated!
The man who received that cup of coffee, well, I just wonder if he’ll ever know the difference.
Next time you order coffee, just think if you’re getting what you paid for.