The past few weeks have really flown by and it never ceases to amaze me how fast it seems like my children are growing up.  We were going to dinner a family a couple of weeks ago and Nolan asked me if Santa Claus is real.  I of course couldn’t lie to him, so I said do you really think a big fat guy and some reindeer can go to ever house in the entire world in a night and deliver toys and presents?  He did say yes and I asked him to rethink his question.  He  replied with …. “so there is no Santa Claus!”  I said you would be correct in that statement.  He thought for a second and only as his little mind thinks responds … “So you are the one that eats the cookies and drinks the milk!”  I thought Angela would never stop laughing.  I made sure that he promised not to tell anyone at school nor his siblings and he assured me of that.

We are trying to make sure that the children know the real meaning of Christmas.  We feel it’s important that they do learn the true meaning of Christmas and that it isn’t about getting toys.  A few years ago when Nolan was about 4 we decdided we wouldn’t do gift but rather help a family.  Our plan is to do that again next Christmas when Peyton and Oliva can also participate with a little more understanding.  We will get the kids a few toys and a “Wii” but other than that we feel that our children should learn more about giving to others than just getting more and more.   We will be traveling to Cincinnati, OH, where my wife is from to visit with her family.  It will be awesome to visit with all of them as we haven’t been together since last April. 

Last week was a fun week for the teens at Calvary as we had the Calvary Youth Christmas Party.  It was extremely well done, the food and entertainment was great, and the attendance of the function was amazing.  I was able to show off my talents (or lack thereof) on a karioke machine.  Ken Whitley and I decided to sing “Great Balls of Fire” and “Jailhouse Rock.”  After the Christmas Party, I invited the teens (whoever wanted to come) to hit up the Sports Connection in South Charlotte for a few games of bowling.   I thought we had a blast there as well although my bowling skills are severely lacking.  After Christmas we are going with the teens to the Xtreme Conference in Gatlinburg, TN, for good music and great teaching from some of the best groups and teachers in the US.  I know I am looking forward to a bus ride with that gang.  Angela and I are actually flying back from Ohio and leaving the kids in Cincinnati with her family so we can go on this trip with the teens.   Her family will drive the kids down from Ohio to Gatlinburg at the end of the conference and we will all drive back.

My friends from Philadelphia (Casey & Becky) are flying in for New Year’s and a couple of days to spend some time here in North Carolina.  We will be excited to have them at our house and having fun showing them around town.  After the New Year I gear up for my two classes at Liberty Seminary.  I really look forward to them although I know I will be very busy during that time. 

I look forward to a great  2009 and I pray for the good health for myself, my family and all of my friends!

We have found a new place to take the kids called the Sports Connection in Charlotte.  Our neighbors turned us on this over the top place for children and it is complete with rock climbing wall, laser tag, bowling alley, arcade games, and tons of things for them to bounce on.   We have been there three times in the last two weeks culminating a in a family bowling match in which Angela beat me.  It was depressing to watch, but I pretended not to care.  She will not win the next time!

I did have my wisdom teeth removed this past Monday and it wasn’t as bad I thought it was going to be.  I have a little pain all week, but it didn’t really interfere with eating lots of Thanksgiving food.  Thansgiving week was fun as we had Angela’s best friend from college (Caroline) in town to visit.   While I was healing from surgery I watched the kids a good bit while Angela and Caroline had fun just hanging out.  They both cooked an awesome Thanksgiving meal and we all were thankful as we shared the meal together.  The remainder of the weekend was spent with family and hanging out as I am most thankful to God for a wonderful wife and three awesome children. 

Today, I actually had the pleasure of speaking for the first time in a couple of years and it really was a treat to be with the teens at Calvary.  It was so refreshing and was thankful for the Holy Spirit using me as a vessel of Christ’s message of faith.  I truly pray the teens at Calvary expercience a cultivating relationship with Christ that builds their faith up to encounter the trials that life will surely bring them. 

I look forward to another week that allows us to draw closer as a family and closer to God. 

I love to know what play lists are on people’s iPods / iPhones!  I have many lists that include a Chill Mix, Country Mix, 80’s Mix, Christian Mix, etc., but my favorite mix is my “Cardio Mix.”  There is nothing like having good music to work out to, so I am going to share my most current mix with you! 

Better Off Alone                     Alice Deejay

World Hold On                       Bon Sinclair

Everytime We Touch               Cascada

Listen To Your Heart              D.H.T

Around The World                  Daft Punk

Days Go By                             Dirty Vegas

Heaven                                   DJ Sammy & Yanou

Call On Me                              Eric Prydz

What is Love                           Haddaway

Castles In The Sky                  Ian Van Dahl

Feedback (Remix)                   Janet Jackson

In My Arm (Remix)                  Plumb (Bimbo Jones Remix)

Rockstar                                 Nickelback

Chasing Cars (Remix)             Snow Patrol (Shape Walk CD)

Stronger                                  Kanye West (Top 40 Hits – Remixed)

Apologize                               One Republic (Top 40 Hits – Remixed)

One More Time                       Daft Punk

Rhythm Is A Dancer                Snap

Glamorous                              Fergie

I Don’t Wanna Be In Love       Good Charlotte

I would love to hear your favorite workout / cardio songs so if you have any that should be added let me know!

We have had some good moments.  Nolan, Peyton, Olivia and myself all dressed up for Halloween and attended Calvary’s Fall Festival.  Nolan went as race car driver, Peyton as a doctor, Olivia as a princess, and I went as Will Farrell’s character in Semi-Pro.  It really was fun, the kids got lots of candy, and Granny was also able to join us and spend the night with us on Halloween.  I have must give Calvary Church it’s proper due for an incredibly well run festival!  The next morning we had Nolan’s soccer game where we got to see Nolan score a goal from mid-field.  I think his goal total is somewhere around 8-10 this year so this has been a vast improvement over last year.  Granny and Papa Jim also were able to watch Nolan play so he was extra motivated. 

Later on in the week, I stayed home and watched all the kids while Angela had a doctor and hair appointment to go to since the kids were out of school for Election Day.  During this day I took the kids over to my parents house where they were able to play with Grandma for a couple of hours and eat the remains of their Halloween candy.   This past Friday I surprised Nolan and kept him home from school as I had a tee time for us at 8:30 at Carolina Lakes Golf Course.  We had a blast and Nolan again made a true par from 150 yards out on Hole 8.   It is the second time he has made par on this whole.  He is driving the ball consistently now around 60-80 yards with the occasional 100 yard drive.  We are working on the iron game, but he is getting better.  He actually made the two longest putts of the day! 

This past Saturday we drove up to Asheville for a wedding of our good friends Artur and Kelly.  It was a great ceremony and fun reception for all of us!  While we were there, we got to stay with my sister and brother-in-law (Josh & Misty) and they actually watched the kids for on Saturday.   They took the kids to play putt putt and then to Chuckee Cheese.  I know they had a blast, but I am sure they were ready to give the kids back the next morning.  It was great to see them and we ended our time together with breakfast at Cracker Barrell.  How good is that place!

Election Day was a lot of fun as I stayed glued to the tube watching all the drama unfold before our nation.  It truly spoke volumes to see Republican Party get destroyed.  I have always considered myself more Republican than anything else, but I did feel it deserved the lashing that it got this election year.  That’s another blog topic, but ultimately my trust is the God who controls all goverments for His ultimate plan so I don’t get too worked up when someone I want to be in office isn’t voted into office.  I will say that Barak Obama’s speech after winning was one of the best speeches I have ever heard in my lifetime.   I do hope that the President that we elected is more like what he says he wants to be, rather than his past has suggests he can easily become.  I will be praying for him and his family.  I pray for wisdom in his leadership and protection for him and his entire family. 

Stay Classy Charlotte!

Hard to believe that is has been exactly 21 years to the date that I accepted Christ in my life at a little Christian School in Monroe, NC.  It was November 5^th, 1987, and I was just entering my 7^th grade year at my new school.  My parents desired to send me to a private school rather than the public schools in the area so I went begrudgingly to Tabernacle Christian School.  After all, I was a shy, skinny, and nerdy little runt of a kid, so I knew 7^th grade was going to be tough.   Through daily chapel preaching, through the daily teaching and my new friends it was hard not realize that they had something “or at least proclaimed something” that I didn’t have.  I remember sitting in the old chapel building and listening to the guest speaker that morning (Kitral Benton) and his message on the reality of hell.  I was scared to death and knew I wanted no part of that place.  I believed that my only recourse was to accept Christ, who paid for my sins through His sacrifice on the cross! He defeated death and the power of sin and rose from the grave so that I might not have to experience eternal death in hell and eternity without Him.   

That year, specifically that date, would be the single most influential turning point in my life.  I would become involved in the church there (Bible Baptist Tabernacle – Monroe, NC, and surround myself with so many Christian friends that would help frame who I am today.  When I think of the lives of individuals and how they change the course of history by following Christ and living a Holy Spirit filled life the person that comes up in my mind is Pastor Bobby Leonard.  Pastor Bobby founded that church and Christian School where I attended.  Obviously it’s more personal to me because his actions directly affected my eternal state as God used him to eventually create the place and position where I might hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I know he would be the first to say it wasn’t about him, but about God; however, I can’t help to think of the “what if’s” in this scenario.  Ultimately I don’t dwell on them long because all those factors leading up to my salvation were God controlled and God ordained.  I didn’t choose Christ, rather before the foundations of the world, He chose me.  I don’t understand it, as it is only by the grace of God, and I am eternally thankful for the grace of God that he bestowed upon me in that little chapel on Walkup Avenue in Monroe, NC.

I couldn’t let the day go by without exclaiming how proud I am to be a believer in Jesus Christ and how thankful I am for what He did for me and continues to do in my life and the life of my family.   We live in a world where millions are without hope, seethe with hate, have no direction or purpose in life and as Christians we live with the remedy to their ailments.  I pray that there are more people who look at their lives like Pastor Bobby … as a chance to be a vessel of usefulness to God.  I know I am only one of likely thousands that he has impacted throughout his Spirit filled life.  My prayer is that I live my life with the hopes of being daily constrained to the leading of the Holy Spirit in the hopes that others lives will be eternally impacted. 

Today I am thankful for 21 years of Salvation, a Godly country preacher who laid the groundwork that I might come to know Him, and to God who has never failed in those 21 years …. Even though I fail Him often! 

What a great week! I accomplished a lot and it has been very busy since I last wrote.  Friday night was a good night for Angela as she made me promise the night before that I would watch a movie with her on Friday evening.  I obliged although I have a hard time sitting for any movie.  I said see if they have Transformers or something like that …. I got “Baby Mama!”  I know, I know … it’s funny, but not exactly an oscar winning movie or something incredibly riveting.  Angela enjoyed me hanging in there through it so that was the plus!

We woke up to a cloudy Saturday morning to go to Calvary to pick up some of the teens for “Lend A Hand Day.”   Our job was to handle yard work and general house work for an elderly lady in our church who was incapable handling those tasks.   We all worked very hard and accomplished our task; therfore, we rewarded ourselves with a fun lunch at Q’Doba’s.  I went home that afternoon to prepare for the Seniors at Calvary to come over to our house in evening.  We had around 20 or so at our informal gathering and had an awesome time.  We grilled out, watched a little college football, played Scategories, listened to music, chilled by the firepit and made smores and overall it was a great time had by all. 

Of course the week was made better by the culmination of the World Series which I love to watch and the beginning of the basketball season.  As a sports nut this is one of my favorite times of the year as it is hard to change the channel and not find something to watch.  Even as I am typing this the Phillies just wrapped up the World Series!  Baseball to some is boring, but to me it will always be America’s past time. 

One of the things that we started to do with the boys this week is to begin “family devotions” with them.  They love it!  I didn’t think it would be so much of a hit, but we are starting from the very beginning in Genesis and they can’t wait for Chapter 3 tomorrow night when “the devil” tempts Adam and Eve.   This gives me time to answer some of there easy questions like … How does God talk to us?  How hard is that to explain to a six and three year old!  Not as easy as you would think as I can explain it well enough to write a doctrinal thesis, but not so much on that level.  I think this is going to be an awesome time to build up the importance of God’s Word in their lives and see how relevant the Bible can be to there lives even at there early age.

On another awesome note, I am very excited to start taking Seminary classes.   I have applied to begin taking online Seminary classes from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.   I have already signed up for New Testament Introduction and also Introduction to Apologetics that I can start taking in January depending upon my acceptance into the Seminary program.   I am very excited, as I always wanted to go to Seminary after completing my undergrad in the School of Religion from Bob Jones University.  I felt that LBTS offered an opportunity to continue to work my regular schedule, take advanced Theology / Religion classes, and get a balanced perspective from a Godly institution.   I really don’t know exactly what I am to do at this point by furthering my education in Religion, but I am sure that is what I am supposed to be doing.   I look forward to seeing how God uses this in the life of my family as we seek to become a family that is more committed to God this year than last year, this month more than last month and today more than yesterday.   God knows I have a lot of baggage and I do feel I have floundered or wasted a lot of good opportunities to get my education done much sooner, but I don’t think that I would have been ready for it as I am now.   I don’t know if I was even ready earlier this year.  It hasn’t been till this Summer that I have seen life from a totally different viewpoint.  It’s not about us … It’s about Him. 

On a funny note to end this week of things that happened, we had church tonight with the teens and I wore my Halloween costume!  It was pretty good … at least I thought so and they said it was good.  I had a replica uniform that Will Ferrell wore in his movie “Semi-pro.”  I wore a big afro and it was complete with the gross amount of chest hair protruding from my warm-up jersey I was wearing.  It really looked good and I had fun wearing it and fooling around with the teens.   I intend on wearing it Friday to Calvary at our fall festival.   Good times for sure! 

Glad I was able to get caught up and watch the Phillies wrap up the World Series.   Time for bed!

On the opposite end of the “happiness scale” work was a real drag this week.  Each week I become increasingly weary of work in general.  I guess that is normal .  I mean who wouldn’t want to NOT WORK!  I had one of my online clients get wrongfully sued by a bunch of ignorant goons.  It really is amazing how ignorant people can be in this world.  Anyway, in that suit, I was named so that obviously brings your stress level up a notch.  I really didn’t worry too much and met with our attorney today and really believes there is no way that this would stand up in court so I felt better.  However, do you continue paying expensive legal fees or pay them off to go away?  It’s not right, but it ends up having to the best business decision.  It just doesn’t seem fair that some one can pursue litigation, make a false claim, serve papers, and walk away with a check which seems likely to happen.  I am just thankful that my company upholds the highest integrity possible and has approached it from angle with an ethical and honest response.  I will update you of the results later. 

The family is doing pretty well.  We were all pretty tired this week.  Angela went for a Lasik consultation and looks like she is scheduling to have Lasik done sometime in December or January.  I think she will love it, so I am excited for her.   Olivia is absolutely adorable and still a daddy’s girl; however, I am having the worst time being able to discipline her.   I mean I am doing it, but she is so DRAMATIC.   You would think that when I scold her that I was beating her.  I tried to get her to eat her food tonight and told her to sit down and thought she was going to choke she was crying so hard.  Anway, that is something we are going to have to work on.  Peyton is Peyton … that guy is the most consistent member of the family.  Nothing really ever gets to him.  He doesn’t worry, never gets angry or mad and just enjoys playing and having fun.  Definitely going to the “full of life” kid!  Nolan’s week started out good, but today was horrible as he went to the dentist and got bad news.  7 Cavaties!  Most of the small but in between his teeth so it wasn’t able to be seen with the eye.   Anyway, he had to get 4 fillings and 2 crowns today.  They gave his some laughing gas which he liked and didn’t cry or flinch the whole time.  They will to 3 more fillings on the other side next week.  Apparently it wasn’t something we should have seen.  He brushes and the previous dentist just 1 month ago said he only had one filling.  Isn’t that what a dentist is supposed to be able to find?  The new dentist did, so they are our new dentist.  I could go on about that, but he is doing great. 

The teens at Calvary in the Senior Class are going to be coming to our house for a fun night on Saturday which should be a lot of fun.  Of all the things I do in life other than spending time with my own family, I love spending time with our teens at Calvary.   Of all the ministries I have been in they are so much more mature than others.  They have a lot of potential and it is awesome to be able to help grow stronger in there faith.   I am sure we will have a blast. 

Well here is to another good week!

Photo by Gary O’Brien of the Charlotte Observer

When I first saw this photo it was hard to believe that this was my church!  I was immediately struck with the doctrinal thought that this is not my church, rather the building where our church fellowship assembles and meets regularly.  I then thought of the quote from former news writer J.M. Cash that said Charlotte had “more churches than Edinburgh, Scotland.” (1) Truly the city of Charlotte is known for its vast amount of “church or religious buildings,” but truthfully we have very few “churches.” The term church is formulated from the Greek word “ekklesia” which translated into English means “called out” (ek = out / kaleo = call).  In classical Greek “ekklesia” meant “an assembly of citizens summoned by the crier, the legislative assembly.” (2)

In our own communities all over this globe we have many buildings that we consider churches or religious buildings, but unfortunately the vast majority of those buildings are filled with parishioners and leaders that promote false doctrine, misguided faith, or an unbalanced philosophy of ministry.  It is true that I am a Bible believing Christian; therefore, any religion or ministry that doesn’t promote “salvation by Christ alone,” a relationship with Christ based upon “the principles of God’s Infallible and Inerrant Word,” or believes there is revelation from God outside of that “Word” is apostate and literally an anti-Christ fellowship or assembly.  I have relationships with many people, business or personally, that have very different views on God, religion and church.  I don’t want to this to be an indictment on religions blog or an indictment on other churches in the Charlotte community as there are many assemblies that meet each week in our area that I consider a valuable light of Christ’s Gospel and part of the eternal church of Jesus Christ.  I believe that going to Church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car, but I do however want to praise God for the assembly of people that I gather with each week in what can look like an intimidating castle off of Rea Rd. in South Charlotte. 

Calvary Church has a rich history that goes back well before I was ever born and in its history has seen its share of diversity of struggles,  changing philosophies, and even getting over the stigma that it’s not a movie set for the “Wizard of Oz.”  I remember the first time I saw Calvary Church when I was in high school in the early 90’s.  They would have a “Living Christmas Tree” performance it seemed every year and literally thousands all over Charlotte would come to see this performance.  I was awestruck at its size, the elevators, the escalators, and the even have their own book store!  It was a magnificent building!  It wasn’t till years later that my wife and I visited Calvary, that we realized what an amazing ministry Calvary was to the South Charlotte community.  I have been members of equally sound doctrinal churches in the greater Charlotte area, so when we moved to South Charlotte away from those other sound churches, I was weary about finding the right fit for our family.  Unfortunately, too many people look for what a church fellowship can do for their family and not what their family can do for a church fellowship and surrounding community, but I did have a list of five demands of the next fellowship I would be involved.

• I wanted a ministry that I felt was serving the community and where my family could fit in and also serve.
• I wanted a ministry that was organized and whose church polity was sound.
• I wanted a ministry that I felt was a “spiritually healthy” environment for my children and a place they could grow to be more like Christ.
• I wanted a ministry that not only had sound doctrine as part of their constitution, but also preached that from the pulpit and taught it in classes of all ages. 
• I wanted a ministry that had their core focus on Christ and Christ-likeness and that all events and ministries it scheduled or planned had the dual purpose of evangelism and spiritual growth. 

Here is what my family can be thankful for each time we gather with our local fellowship at Calvary Church!

• Calvary is an extremely organized ministry.  From the leadership down to the very people serving lunch or teaching classes there might not be a ministry that I have been a part of that is more organized.   There are scores of ministries geared to the spiritual growth of all ages from pre-school, special needs, teens, adults, all the way to seniors.  It is an incredible site to see so many of this local body of believers working toward the equipping of other saints for the work of service and building up the body of Christ (Eph. 4:11-13).
• Calvary’s leadership is Godly.  From getting to know many of the leaders at Calvary, I have been able to personally see their unwavering commitment to the work of the ministry, the edifying of the saints, and the building up of the Body of Christ.  Any local body or government for that matter rises and falls on good leadership.  The leadership at Calvary is faithful, transparent, caring and their philosophy of ministry is that of a sound faith.
• Calvary’s ministries and events are dually focused.  Evangelism and Christ-like growth are the preeminent focal points of each and every ministry Calvary designs and facilitates.  From the many children’s programs that emphasize learning about Christ and salvation, to the youth ministry whose current curriculum goes through the entire life of Christ, to the incredible sports programs (CHAMP SPORTS – www.champsportsinfo.com) that allow the entire church fellowship and local community to have a safe environment to involve their children, to the adult life groups at every level that encourage family values and Christ-like living, Calvary church is committed to using ministries to reach those in need.
• Calvary’s doctrine is sound.  It is with great sadness to see many fellowships across America embrace false doctrine and preaching that adds works to what Christ already sufficiently did for all of humanity on the cross.  At Calvary, the preaching and teaching from every leader and teacher emphasizes God’s Word as the sole source for sound doctrine!  I have had many pastors which were my mentors as they all brought something unique to the way I view Christianity, the church, or life in general.  Dr. John Munro’s contribution to my “faith value set” is the firmness in which he strives to shepherd the flock of Calvary to sound teaching.  I dare say that know other ministry I have been involved in so steadfastly adheres to Scriptural principles and God’s Word to make decisions and guide the affairs of the assembly at Calvary. 
• Calvary’s philosophy of ministry and worship is balanced.

See Below Calvary’s Philosophy of Ministry which can be found directly a their website (http://www.calvarychurch.com/site/18_116_74.cfm)

Calvary Church is an evangelical church committed to the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. It was founded in 1939 upon the belief in and commitment to the preeminence of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and only Savior from sin and spiritual death, and on the belief in the inerrancy of the Bible in its original text. Therefore, the foundation of our beliefs is our position that the Bible is our authority and ultimate source of truth. Additionally, we are guided by the Articles of Faith contained in our church’s constitution.

The Purpose of Calvary Church is to glorify God in the salvation of souls; the edification of Christians through the teaching of God’s Word; the world-wide proclamation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; the promotion of godly worship; the defense of “The Faith Once Delivered;” and cooperation with Christian activity functioning in harmony with God’s Holy Word, the Bible, until He comes.

The Mission of Calvary Church is to develop authentic followers of Jesus Christ through a balanced ministry of worshiping God, preaching and teaching the Word, edifying the saints, caring for the needs of others, and evangelizing the world.

Calvary will continue to emphasize strong biblically-based preaching and teaching that is well grounded in the truths of the Bible and in agreement with the Articles of Faith in each of its corporate worship services, Adult Life Groups, classes, and small group meetings. We believe that the Bible is inspired by God and is the divinely authoritative Word of God. Scripture alone is the inerrant rule of the life of Calvary Church and is our only authority. The Bible is both timeless and timely, relevant to the needs of all people at all times, and to the specific problems of contemporary living. We believe, therefore, that the Bible must be taught and preached in the church. Sermons must be expositions of the Bible and its teachings, not expressions of the preacher’s or teacher’s opinions or the ideas of the age. Similarly in all facets of our ministry (including classes and programs for children, teens, and singles) and for all small groups, the Bible’s eternal truths must be taught and applied. We are committed to preaching “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” to the lost and equipping believers through the preaching and teaching of God’s Word to know the Triune God and to follow Christ in every sphere of life. God’s Word, rather than spiritual experience, is the test of truth. (Psalm 19:7–14; John 17:17; Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 1:18–2:16; Ephesians 4:11–16; 2 Timothy 2:14–19; 2 Timothy 3:14–4:5; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 4:12)

Calvary is committed to having inspiring worship as we celebrate who God is and what He has done. We do this by expressing our love and devotion to God in spirit and truth through our praise and through the proclamation of the Word of God. We must focus on God in our worship rather than the satisfaction of our own personal needs. Biblical worship is dynamic — not passive. Therefore, meaningful and understandable congregational participation in worship is essential.

Believing that worship is our highest priority, and that Calvary Church is a local expression of the family of God — we strongly encourage people of all ages (children, teens, singles, families, adults, and seniors) and of all backgrounds to worship together as the people of God — so that God-centrality in the life of our church is demonstrated.

Also believing that the people of God should be united, we will seek to have corporate worship with a blend of musical styles and a blend of traditional and contemporary music. We believe that for the Christian, all of life is to be lived as an act of worship to God — and corporate worship should be a great encouragement to a life of worship and holy living. In all cases, the worship and music must glorify God and exalt Jesus Christ, and never be mere entertainment or emotionalism. We are prayerfully committed to striving for authentic biblical worship, so that our corporate worship is not supplanted by the entertainment culture where the emphasis is one of performance and taste, rather than God-centeredness. (Psalm 115:1; Psalm 145-150; Isaiah 6:1-9; John 4:23-24; 1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 1 Corinthians 14:14, 24-25; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:15-17; Hebrews 13:15)

Calvary will seek to build communities of faith within its membership through enabling relational ministry in small group settings for the purposes of Bible study, discipleship, support, encouragement, exhortation, accountability, and fellowship.

Calvary will continue to give its people and financial resources to evangelizing the lost within our community, region, and around the world. We will seek to accomplish this through prayer, training, and intentional development of programs, services, and events. We will also support such work by other Christ-centered churches and ministries throughout the world.

We believe that God desires us to reach as many people as possible with the Gospel of the grace of God. Therefore, we seek to take seriously the great commission to evangelize and disciple the lost world at home as well as overseas. We believe that an important part of evangelism is discipleship of believers, their baptism, their responsible membership in a local body of believers, and their being equipped for worship and service. We will pursue various methods and outreach to the “unchurched,” which will facilitate this biblical commitment to evangelism and discipleship without compromising in any way our commitment to biblical truth and our integrity. We will seek to be and make disciples who not only proclaim the Lord Jesus Christ but also who display Him. It is the Lord who saves and causes growth. Our salvation is of God, has been accomplished by God, and is for God’s glory. We affirm that we must glorify Him always, and so self-improvement, self-esteem or self-fulfillment must never be allowed to become alternatives to the Gospel of God’s grace.

What we seek to do in Charlotte and surrounding areas, we also seek to do throughout this continent as well as overseas. Calvary Church is committed to being a church with a “global vision” seeking to identify, send, pray for, help, encourage, train, support, and generally minister to those who are called by God for either short-term or long-term missions. We also seek to educate everyone (including children and teens) at Calvary Church in this vital ministry of missions. (Psalm 127:1; Matthew 28:18–20; John 1:12-13; 3:8; Acts 1:8; 2:47; 1 Corinthians 3:1–2; 3:6-7; 1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9)

We believe that God desires His people to pray, and that He hears and answers prayer. Therefore, we ought to pray with and for one another, sharing our burdens, sorrows, and joys. Furthermore, we believe that the ministries and activities of Calvary Church will be characterized by our reliance on prayer in their conception, planning, and execution. (Matthew 6:8–15; Matthew 7:7–11; Luke 18:1; John 15:5; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 6:18–20; James 5:13–18)

January 10^th, 1984, the phrase, “Where’s The Beef” became one of the most well known advertising slogans of the 1980’s and did wonders for Wendy’s!  There were three little old women staring a large bun with a tiny piece of meat saying that phrase over and over with the message being that Wendy’s was the antitheses of that company with no beef!  To this day I always think of that phrase when I go to Wendy’s for one of those burgers that truly has the beef. 

There a few things that you have learned about me over the past month as I blog.  I like to write, I am very opinionated (not always right), I love my family, I love my faith, I love music, but there is one more important thing to note about me:  I love to eat!  I love almost every kind of food and if given over, I could easily indulge all day long on snacks and meals without ever missing a beat.  I love trying new things, but I do have my favorites.  Very similar to my music nostalgia, I have “meal” or “restaurant” nostalgia.  I remember trips or places I visit based upon where I eat and what I eat.  I am not partial to the type of meal.  I can enjoy fine dining, ethnic foods or greasy spoons all the same.  I love breakfast, lunch and dinner.  My stomach rarely says no and it isn’t partial to the type of food, but rather the quality. 

Here is a list of my favorite “Restaurants & Meals” that I have had over the years!  They are in no particular order as I have loved them all for one particular reason or another. 

The Big Dog Café – Waxhaw, NC

Breakfast is the first meal so I will start out with one of my favorite new breakfast places.  I live in Waxhaw, so I am partial, but it is hard to beat the price, the people, and the quality of food (quantity too).  If you eat here, you better figure on skipping lunch (which I don’t normally do), but this renovated old building turned breakfast nook is our family’s new breakfast hangout.  It welcomes all walks of life and serves the best bacon, eggs, grits, and extra crispy hash browns I have ever eaten.  Definitely atop my greasy spoon dives!

The Burger Bar – Las Vegas, NV (Mandalay Bay)

There is no place like this anywhere.   You select from some of the best meats from all around the world and almost anything you want with it as you can create the greatest burger known to man.  I only order one burger every time I go here and it’s called the “Surf & Turf” Burger.  It is a little pricy ($30), but worth the money for this magical display of land and sea atop a warm bun!  You get an 8oz Black Angus Beef patty with a half lobster tail garnished with steamed asparagus.  It is to die for and I have never traveled to Las Vegas without making this one of my stops!

Dukes Malibu Restaurant – Malibu, CA

I was introduced this ocean side restaurant by my brother-in-law Jared and sister-in-law Angela a few years ago as I traveled to Los Angeles to visit with them.  There might not be a more beautiful view of any restaurant on my list!  You are right there beside one of the most famous beaches in North America watching the sunset while you dine on some of the freshest seafood possible.   Definitely in my top 3 of seafood places that I have ever eaten and one of the prettiest views of any place I have ever visited.  There is a reason why all the stars by huge homes in Malibu, because it is beautiful. 

Waldhorn German Restaurant – Pineville, NC

I love German food!  I love all the meats they offer and prepare up in such different ways than we are used to.  I very rarely add a restaurant so quickly to my favorite list; however, last night was an exception as it was added on my list even before the meal and two bites into the appetizer.  The ambiance was incredible and the staff was amazing.  I also love accordions so the live accordion performances were awesome!  To top all of that off, I had not only best German food I have ever eaten, but I would rate this as one of top restaurants in all of the Charlotte, NC, metro area.  We tried different samplers of all sorts of food and the quality was superior. 

Hyman’s Seafood – Charleston, SC

If you ever travel to Charleston, SC, and you ask the locals where you should eat they will never say Hyman’s because they consider it as a tourist trap.  I will agree it is a tourist attraction, because there tables are labeled with some of the most famous people from all over the world (leaders, stars, presidents, etc.) who have eaten there.  I will tell you the locals are just jealous and while the staff uses a marketing ploy to make the lines look longer to keep up the excitement of the place, it doesn’t change the fact that this casual seafood place has AWESOME food!  The two “Hyman” brothers run this downtown Charleston seafood haven and the deli right beside it.  I haven’t been back in a couple of years, but on occasion their mom can often be found serving and speaking with patrons.  The nicest lady ever too!  I eat the same thing when I go every time:  Whole Flounder w/ Chutney Glaze.  The freshest flounder I have ever eaten to this day!

Frenchy’s – Clearwater, FL

Two words describe this beach nook:  Grouper Sandwich!  There is no place that you have ever been that will do it better.  They are renown all over for their grouper sandwiches and with good reason.   A beautiful location right along Clearwater Beach makes the ambiance awesome, but I can’t past the size, quality and taste of those crunchy bites of Grouper all between two pieces of bread.  It’s all that and a bag of chips!

Aureole – Las Vegas, NV (Mandalay Bay)

Back to Vegas for another favorite place to dine!  This was the first place I ever ate in Las Vegas.  I was flown out to Las Vegas by Yellowpages.com, whom I served on an advisory board), and they treated us to truly one of the finest dining places you could imagine.  When you first walk in, you are awestruck by the huge skyscraper-like wine rack that holds 9,865 bottles of wine of which you can order one of their large looking specially made “wine palm pilots.”  I know I have spent a lot of my time already on seafood, but this is by far #1 of the places I have eaten seafood.  The halibut literally tastes like it was just caught and prepared by a master chef.  You will not be disappointed with the meal and dressing up is a must, but might have wished you could have saved the average $250 per person meal on some slots!  If you ever go to Las Vegas to catch a play or act, this is the perfect place to have that romantic date beforehand.

Jerry’s Famous Deli – South Beach, FL

South Beach in my mind might be a little over rated.  Not the beach itself as it is amazing and “The Delano” has the largest collection of beautiful men and women staying in one hotel than all the hotels in Las Vegas combined.  With that being said, I really would go back to South Beach to have the Cuban sandwich from Jerry’s.  I love Cuban sandwich’s and I have had a lot of them, but there is none that are made tastier than their creation at Jerry’s.  If I found a flight cheap enough, I really would just go down for the day just to get the sandwich. 

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse – Cancun, MX

If you know me, then you know that my favorite steak and overall meal from any restaurant is prepared by Ruth’s Chris.  Filet cooked Medium Well, Lettuce Wedge w/ Bleu Cheese Crumbles and sides of mushrooms and asparagus.  In fact the mushrooms are so good at Ruth’s Chris that my sister-in-law (Angela Rankin) send pictures of them to each other whenever we dine out at a Ruth’s Chris.  They are that good!  Being in Cancun, MX, is one thing, but it has become our custom as a family or business partners to go there at least once on our vacation there if not twice.  For some reason the steaks are always better in Mexico (I think it’s more the fact that we are on vacation). 

Winks – Statesville, NC

Back to breakfast for my favorite my second favorite breakfast place in the US!  Wink’s is actually known more for their barbeque, but I go there for the omelets.  It is easy to mess up an omelet in my mind and they continually get it right time after time.   I order the Western Omelet and I always ask for the cook that prepares them with whole cherry tomatoes.  I have never seen another place that prepares it that way.  It is a greasy spoon, but I eat there several times of year when I visit clients in that area of North Carolina.  My business partner Mark and I consider this a staple for our regular food intake during the year. 

Bob Chinn’s – Wheeling, IL

Outside of Chicago is one of the greatest and busiest restaurants in America.   It is one of the highest volume restaurants in America for four reasons.  Garlic Rolls, King Crab Legs, Blue Crab Claws and Mai Tai’s!  There is no other restaurant in America that goes through more ice tea, sugar, crab legs, mai tai’s and blue crab claws.  I would easily rate this as one of my favorite restaurants.  The food is that of a five star restaurant and the atmosphere is as laid back as you could imagine.  Come as you are but be prepared to wait as they are never slow.   Check out there overnight delivery!  Great dinner treat! www.bobchinns.com

Nikko Japanese Restaurant & Sushi – Charlotte, NC

I love SUSHI!  The finest sushi and overall restaurant for fun of any I have ever been to is Nikko’s.  The owner aka “The Sushi Lady” makes this elaborately decorated restaurant a must before hitting uptown Charlotte on a nice evening out.  Not only is the sushi excellent quality, the service outstanding, but you can’t leave that place in a bad mood.  It is the perfect atmosphere of good taste and great fun.  Angela just surprised me with a huge 33^rd Birthday Surprise Party there in June and it was one of the best surprises I have ever had.  If you like Sushi, it is all good here!

Montgomery Inn Ribs – Cincinnati, OH

A good food lover can’t leave out ribs in there menu!  Montgomery Inn is a staple in Cincinnati and most likely the best well known restaurant and for good reason.  They have the best RIBS known to man.  I can’t resist getting a full rack of ribs with onion straws on the side with extra sauce to dip.  Another great ambiance as they have a location right along the Ohio River next to downtown Cincinnati.  I have always said that Cincinnati has one of the best skylines and to be right there on a warm summer evening right after eating the greatest ribs possible is one of my favorite memories of meals with my wife’s family.  My best memory was wedding rehearsal when we had it catered in for 120 of our family and friends.  Not my tab!

Purple Space Monkey – Placencia, Belize

I probably like this more for the karaoke that I found myself involved in all night back in the middle of July.  I will remember Belize for several things like being the most beautiful and fun vacation I have ever been on, the beautiful beaches and islands, the nicest people on earth, but what impressed me the most about visiting the country was the quality of food.  I could really put a lot of their restaurants on this list, but I just thought it was an awesome little sandwich place in the middle of a third world country that I couldn’t get anywhere else.  Truthfully, the sandwich wasn’t so mind blowing that I remembered it more than another one, but it was all about the ambiance.  To top it all off Verizon not only told me my cell phone wouldn’t work in Belize, but the whole island had wireless capabilities and The Purple Space Monkey was a equipped with many computers for the locals to use or tourists.  The nicest internet café I have seen. 

Jack N’ Jill’s – Beverly Hills, CA

There might not be anything like eating breakfast in Beverly Hills sitting outside of Jack N’ Jill’s.  This tiny little breakfast and lunch nook is well known for great food.  When I visit I always make sure to sit outside at one of the few outside front tables to get the view of all the unreal cars that ride by or the occasional movie star that walks by the restaurant.  You seriously feel like you are in the middle of a TMZ show! As far as what to eat, I love the ABT Omelet.  Fresh Avocado, Applewod Bacon & Tomatoes with Jack & Cheddar Cheese!  Yeah …. It’s that good!

Murphy’s Bleachers / Cubbie Bear / Casey Moran’s – Wrigleyville, IL

I couldn’t just name one, because they offer two things fairly equally that you can’t find anywhere in the US.  Nestled right beside the greatest ballpark ever made, Wrigley Field and its surroundings are home to the greatest sports fans in the world and also “THE BEST HOT DOGS & BRATS.”  In the summertime there might be nothing more American than watching a baseball game and eating a hot dog or brat and each of these Bar / Grills offer some of the tastiest on earth.  It probably isn’t so much the taste as much as it is being in the center of the baseball heaven doing to things I love the most: Eating and watching the Cubs!

Honorable Mentions

Beaver Creek Chophouse – Beaver Creek, CO (Fine Dining and Great Cuts of Meat)

Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse – Jackson Hole, WY  (The Ultimate Cowboy Steakhouse and the Steaks are enormouse).

Sullivan’s – Charlotte, NC  (I like their seafood, but there Crème Brule is amazing!)

Yolie’s Brazilian Steakhouse – Las Vegas, NV, (Just have to try it!  Unreal)

Victorian Room – Las Vegas, NV,  (5am breakfast right before you go to bed!)