And We're Off

What a day at Alice Drive!

This morning we baptized six and attendance was well over 1100.

The Worship Center has been transformed into Camp Kids Rock for VBS 2009. The volunteers did an outstanding job and deserve a lot of thanks for countless hours preparing for this week.

The numbers just came in for the first night of VBS and the total is...800. A new all-time high for VBS at Alice Drive. I wonder what the rest of the week will bring?

Who do you need to invite to attend the rest of the week. It's not to late to come join the fun.

Gear Up For Learning

Alice Drive Baptist Church exists to help as many people as possible take their next step toward Jesus Christ. We do this by helping them Know Jesus, Know Community, Grow Character and Go Share.

Over the next 4 weeks we have an opportunity to Go Share with our community. We are partnering with United Ministries of Sumter County for the annual Gear Up For Learning drive. This is an effort to raise school supplies for the coming year for those in our community who are less fortunate.

We have pledged to contribute 900 book bags and 1,550 bundles of pencils (9 pencil bundles). Beginning this Sunday there will be cards on the back wall of the Worship Center with these items on them. Take a card and bring the item back between now and August 2.

Together we can share what God has blessed us with as we help the children of Sumter get ready for a great year of learning.

Happy Independence Day!

Sacrifice and Devotion

Note: This was originally written in July 2005 but is still applicable today.


This past weekend my family traveled to Washington D.C. for our summer vacation. Going to our nation’s capital and seeing the sites and monuments was a privilege. We did the “tourist” thing - taking pictures, looking lost, etc.

The day we arrived, we walked around downtown to explore, see some of the shops and find some dinner. Washington is a beautiful city. The White House was only two blocks away from our hotel. Seeing The White House for the first time was both awe-inspiring and disappointing at the same time. While it is a beautiful place that represents the rich history of our country, it’s much smaller than I ever imagined it to be.

On Saturday, we visited Arlington National Cemetery. As you make your way through the grounds, you see countless rows of headstones of those who have served their country. Most of the graves are marked with names, rank, branch of service, and the dates of their lifetime. Other graves honor those who are nameless. One of the most memorable moments of our trip came at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, watching the changing of the guard. The tomb is guarded by a soldier 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. While the guards do not know who they are watching over, they are honored to serve them through all conditions. Only the best are given the honor to stand guard at the tomb.

There are thousands in our own community who are unknown. While they all have a name and are not unknown in the sense of the Unknown Soldiers, they are unknown to the family of God. They do not know Jesus Christ as their Savior. The guards of the tomb should serve as an example to all Christians. We should be willing to serve the unknowns through rain, sleet, snow or hail. We should never step down from the duty God has given us to reach our world.

Are you willing to give your all for the unknowns in our community?

June Report

Baptisms 0
Average Worship Attendance 1,049
Average Bible Community Attendance 711

Ministry Offerings Given $127,116.92
Build on the Rock $31,184.33
Debt Retirement $860.00

What Are You Asking For?

Prayer Force meets every Monday at 11:30. This is a time set aside to pray for Kingdom issues. At this morning's session one of the things we prayed about was baptisms. In January we felt a leading from God that we were supposed to baptize at least 90 people in 2009. Through June 30 we had baptized 22. While we want to celebrate the 22, we were feeling a little down about the number not being higher at the halfway point in the year. So we prayed about it. I spoke to Jock Hendricks tonight around 6:30. He informed me that we had 5 people lined up to be baptized this coming Sunday. The neat part is, they were all set up this afternoon - AFTER Prayer Force. And he had the privilege of leading one of them to Christ just this afternoon.

"Ask and it will be given to you..." What are you asking for?

On Mission

On Friday we sent a group of 10 students and adults on a mission trip to Botswana. To follow their progress go to www.adbcinafrica2009.blogspot.com.

A group of 15 middle school students and adults are also on a mission trip to Knoxville, TN this week.

Remember both of these groups in your prayers this week as they Go Share with the least of these.